Kingdom Hearts: Eternal Protector
by TeddyRuxpin
Summary: This is boyxboy. Mainly SoraxOC, but also RoxasxOC a retelling of Kingdom Hearts, first chapter inside, won't hurt to take a peek!
1. Part One: Between Here And There

_Between here and there,_

_Together, you and I…_

I opened my eyes slowly. Above me, my vision was filled with the eternally starry night sky, endless and all around. I grimaced up at it and thought: _I have to get out of this place_. Everything around me was so mundane and filled with too many bad memories. It was becoming very hard to just sit around and hide from everyone. It's a horrible feeling, feeling completely alone in a crowd.

I shook my head and groaned at the crick in my neck. I had fallen asleep for too long this time. Running a hand through my unruly curls, I stood and looked around, noticing that my backpack was still where I'd put it after coming here right after another uneventful day at school.

My eyes fell on the glass smooth water of the huge river that surrounded the town of Junction, and then to the towering mountains just beyond that. What had my dream been about this time? Flashes of flying through the night sky over the town drifted up. I smiled sadly. If I could fly, I would be far away from here by now.

I glanced down at the roots surrounding me sadly. Part of me wanted to stay in my spot and try dreaming of flying once again, but another part urged me to go home. I needed to get school work done, despite how pointless it was. I sighed, walking over to the forest edge stiffly.

Pulling my backpack up from the dirt as I went and slinging it over my shoulder, I started toward the shadows of the deep woods and mumbled waving sadly over my shoulder, "See you tomorrow…"

It was calm as I walked slowly through the darkened roads. I was thankful for that. And when I got home, I noticed that mother had retired for the evening as well. Quietly, I tiptoed down the hall to my bedroom, careful not to jostle anything and make noise.

I relaxed once I'd closed my bedroom door and got my work out. About an hour later, I dropped my pencil unceremoniously on my desk and pushed away. The clock hanging overhead read a little after midnight. Surprisingly, my nap had not left me wide awake. I easily slipped under my covers, set my alarm, and drifted off to sleep; wonderful dreams of soaring through the sky surfacing immediately.

The next day at school, I spoke to no one. What was the point? They'd end up irritating me somehow, so why bother? They were all a waste of time in my opinion. If I had the choice, I'd never go. But I want to leave this place. I need to. The teachers always spew that, in order to get places in this life, we need good educations. So that's what I plan on doing.

I stuffed my hands into my pockets roughly and slipped through the after-school-crowd around the entrance to the one story building that was my high school. The shrill sound of the swarming adolescents disappeared as I broke from the throng. Immediately, I started my beeline to my spot by the water, watching as the afternoon moon sank lower behind the mountains, the evening moon just starting to peek up.

It's always full of shadows here.

I trudged through the woods purposefully, shoving my hands deep into my pockets as I went further, and the darkness closed in around me. I always disliked this part. No matter how often I visited my little secluded spot, I could never get over how uncomfortable it made me feel.

A chill suddenly ran up and down my spine without warning. I froze, my ears straining for a sound that couldn't possibly be there. I shook my head after listening for a few tense seconds. There's no way anything could be out here with me. No one besides me ever wandered this far and only birds and bunnies ventured into the shadows cautiously; nothing at all to be scared of.

I pushed on, shaking the feeling. However, not much longer, I felt the chill again, and stopped dead. I glanced nervously around. There had been a small rustling noise. What was going on? I must be imagining things, I decided, rubbing my temples softly in an attempt to calm my imagination. Nothing could be out there. My gut was telling me to leave and go home, even though that meant being around my mother when she was awake. But, usually when my gut told me something, it was right.

Quickly, I spun on my heel.

When I finally made it back into town it was only six, and the streets were still busy with people. I ignored them of course and made my way through town square (a troublesome loud shortcut). The shops were still open; their bright signs making me squint as I hurried past them. I passed the corner grocery, the barber shop, the video game store, and…Merlin's Magic Marvels?

When did that open up? I walked towards the rundown looking shop and peered through the dirty window front. It was like it'd been there for years. I glanced around at the passersby and saw that no one was paying any attention to me or the curious shop. The bright neon green and yellow sign above the door stood out to me in the darkness, so why didn't anyone else seem to care? Timidly, I stepped toward the door, and then hesitated. Was this really a good idea?

Cautiously, I placed my hand on the handle and twisted. It swung open surprisingly effortlessly, despite its appearance. I stood for a moment, peering uneasily into the dimly lit room before finally stepping inside. The small space had somehow managed to fit dozens of bookshelves within its walls. It was dead silent.

"H-hello…?" I called awkwardly. "Is anyone there?"

No answer.

My brows pinched together in irritation as I wandered into the din. As I moved further in, the overpowering smell of old books accosted my nostrils. I noticed that stacks of books littered the floor, some towering towards the ceiling above the shelves. I gazed in awe around me as I explored. Things I could only dream up were scattered across the wood floors. I half expected some of them to move. I jumped when something creaked in the store's deep. This was a waste of time! I thought angrily, turning to leave.

The bookshelves towered above me, obscuring the way to the exit. I gaped up at them. This was not happening! I must've fallen asleep like a fool in the middle of the woods, and now I'm dreaming this ridiculously irrational dream! Huffing slightly, I picked a direction that I felt would lead me to the exit and started off. Everything seemed to have turned around.

After a few minutes of edging around piles of thick books and gadgets, I noticed that it was starting to look familiar. Was I going in circles? Now I was worrying. What kind of place was this? In the shadows, I could have sworn I saw something move.

I cleared my throat and decided to call and see if anyone was there. I asked apprehensively, "Excuse me…are you the owner…?"

I shivered. It was like in the woods.

This was creeping me out. I turned to stride away from whatever was lurking in the shadows, and came face to face with an old man. I let out a strangled cry and fell back, toppling over a large pile of books, landing in a heap.

"My dear boy, welcome!" he cried happily.

I gaped up at him and asked disbelievingly, "What?"

"I do believe I've startled you…" the old man observed.

I made a sound and pushed myself up heatedly. He merely grinned and clapped his hands together, "Now that you're here, we can get to business! I know exactly what you need!"

I raised an eyebrow skeptically, but followed after him as he started down the aisle. I asked, "What is this place, exactly…?"

"Merlin's Magic Marvels, of course." He answered easily, stopping and rummaging through a particularly large stack of books.

"Yeah, but-"I began, but cut myself off. No use. Clearly I wasn't going to be getting a proper answer out of him. I instead looked around for the exit, but still could see no sign of it.

Suddenly, a book was shoved in front of my eyes. I winced, expecting to be knocked out cold with it. But he merely held it in front of me expectantly. Tenderly, I took it, shooting furtive glances over at the crazy old man as I examined the small brown leather book. On the front was the imprint of a heart. I flipped it over, and found the back to be blank. The old man smiled and said, "The answer to your destiny lies there…"

I had to choke back my snort of doubt, and didn't reply. I turned to the first page and saw the title 'The Protector'. I muttered more to myself than him, "My destiny, huh…?"

"Precisely." He replied matter-of-factly. "And for you my boy, as my first customer, it is free of charge!"

I merely stared up at him distrustfully. He had to be after something. Was he going to try and kill me? I took a step away from him suspiciously. Before I could turn, however, he had spun on his heel and started striding away from me. He called over his shoulder, "I have done what was asked of me. You may leave now, my boy."

He disappeared into the shadows without another word. I gaped after him. What the hell, old man? I don't even know where the exit is! I sighed in frustration, scratching the back of my neck as I scanned the shelves around me once again. After only turning halfway around I stopped in my tracks. There, right in front of me, was the exit.

I left without thinking or looking back. Once safely outside and across the street, I chanced a look back. That was weird. I glanced down at my hand and saw the book still clutched there.

Despite my head telling me to throw it in the next trash bin I saw, my heart told me to take it home. I hurried back, careful not to make too much noise as I opened the front door, so as to alert my mother. But, my luck seemed to not be going my way tonight. She was standing in the greeting room, which was in the direct line of sight to the entranceway.

"What are you doing here?" she asked disgustedly.

I sighed, it was the same every time, "Mom, I live here with you, remember?"

She sneered at me and blocked the hall that would take me to my room and spat, "You are nothing to me! You don't belong here!"

I deflated, no matter how many times I heard it, I still couldn't get used to her saying that. I couldn't think that way, though. Otherwise, I'd end up listening to her and leave, only to find that I had nowhere else to go. I brushed past her and muttered, "Believe me; I don't want to be here either…"

She started her tirade, then. Cursing, and hurling insults after my retreating back. The last insult I heard before the door muffled her voice was, "You are no son of mine!"

I locked the door behind me, and went for my desk, dumping my backpack on it unceremoniously. I then followed after it, falling into the rickety chair. Alright, time for business. Let's see if this book really is the "answer to my destiny". I snatched it from its place in my bag and flipped it open to the title page that read:

_Once upon a time…there were many different worlds. _

_In one of these worlds, lived the Keyblade Master, and his Protector. _

_There, they played…_

My eyes began growing heavy. I shook my head in an attempt to pull myself out of my drowsiness, but I was just so tired.

The sound of crashing waves on the shore rose from the darkness. My nose wrinkled as I suddenly began breathing the stinging scent of salt water. But I couldn't open my eyes. I was just floating in darkness. The sound of children laughing circled around me, growing fainter just as quickly as it had risen.

I tried calling out, but the sound was swallowed up. Fear gripped me. And then I was no longer floating, but standing; the silent darkness still blinding me. I wanted to call for my mother, but I knew that she couldn't hear me, and wouldn't even bother with saving me anyways.

_Follow him._

_Help him._

_Guide him._

_Be the light in darkness._

_Do not fear._

_For you hold the Key._

Whose voice is that? Where is it coming from? I whirled around, my eyes suddenly snapping open. But nothing changed; my vision was still filled with that of an inky black void. When the last echoing remains of the mysterious voice faded, it felt like I was frozen; suspended in mid-air. It felt like I was taking in a deep breath, readying for a plunge into the unknown. I didn't fall; however, it felt more like my body was shifted to another place. Around me, three pillars appeared, each holding a separate item.

My feet landed solidly, and I was free to study the items. On the stand nearest me was a shield, next a scepter, and lastly a sword. The voice permeated the darkness once again:

_Choose wisely._

_For this will determine who you are._

_Protect the one you must._

_Will you take up the Shield…Scepter…Sword?_

_Two must be taken to start you on your journey._

I shivered, feeling a cold breeze run across my skin. This was crazy. How was I supposed to know what two things to choose? And then I stopped. I already knew which ones I wanted. It was as if I was drawn to them; the sword and the shield, both powerful and helpful. Somehow, my heart was telling me this is what I would need. For what, though, I had no idea.

The darkness around me suddenly gave an almighty shudder. I stumbled, but managed not to fall. I glanced around worriedly. I could feel something getting ready to happen. The darkness seemed to groan as it shook once more. This time, I was not lucky in keeping my footing.

As my hands braced against the ground, a white light suddenly blossomed from my fingertips. I gaped in disbelief as cracks of white split the darkness, running along and out of sight, zigzagging away for what seemed like forever. I stood, fear gripping me once again. The floor now resembled a cracked mirror. Without warning, it broke, and I went tumbling into a sea of white.

I jolted up from my sitting position, gasping. My heart hammered against my ribs. I clutched my chest for a moment, trying to calm myself, and felt the book slide from my lap to the ground. I glanced down at it, a sense of apprehension gripping me.

But then I shook my head muttering, "Weird dream…"

Because that's all that had been; a really weird dream, following a really weird day. I stood and glanced down at the book still lying placidly by my feet once again, seriously debating whether or not to toss it in the trash. I reached for it, but I couldn't bring myself to throw it away. Instead, I tossed it onto my backpack lying next to my door. After that, I quickly crawled under the covers, and shut my eyes tightly. I just had to forget all the weird things that had happened today and start again. Put it all behind me.


	2. Into The Stars

When I woke, the day moon was just rising over the mountain tops, shedding its bright light straight through my open curtains onto my bed. I rubbed my eyes gently, adjusting to being awake, and sat up. Today was testing day, and I needed to get to school early to study. I had to get the highest grades this semester; otherwise my chances of traveling far away from here would shrink.

After quickly changing my clothes, I slipped through the house, ignoring Mom's calls of "Don't come back" and made for the center of town. I would pass by that shop again today. I was curious, despite a little voice in the back of my head telling me to drop it. When I rounded the corner onto the brightly lit street, however, I saw that where the shop had been yesterday, stood the same empty, boarded up building that had always been there. I shook my head strictly. Sure enough, it still wasn't there.

Before I could get anymore weirded out by what was going on, I spun on my heel and headed straight for school. It was all just a really bad dream. I was imagining going into that obscene store, seeing that obscene man, and getting that obscene book. Great, I'm officially going crazy.

Once at school, I went straight to the library, my mind determinedly centered on my studying tasks ahead. I sat heavily at the nearest cubicle, and opened my bag. I gaped down at what I found. The book that the old man gave me was still there, completely real, and not a figment of my imagination. Shakily, I reached down and pulled it out, setting it on the table, I studied it; definitely real. I prodded it experimentally to see if any noxious gasses would come out, but nothing happened.

I ran a hand through my tangled curls and muttered to myself, "You mean _something_…but what…?"

An increasing want to read the book began growing from the pit of my stomach. Cautiously, I picked it up; the spine cracking slightly as I turned once again to the first page, skipping the first few lines that I'd already read the night before.

_Now the boy is grown._

_He is called the Protector. _

_He follows the Keybearer._

_But, with each Protector, there must be a test._

_A test of the Heart against the Darkness it holds…_

My eyes drooped again, but I could not tear my eyes away from the words. I struggled to keep them open, realizing that I'd made a horrible mistake in trying to read this thing again. But it was no use, they closed, and all became black.

There it was again, the sound of waves, crashing against the shore. My hands twitched, and I felt fine grains of sand run across my fingers. Opening my eyes, they were filled with bright white light. I blinked furiously, trying to get used to the harsh stinging. When my eyes were used to the light, I noticed that I was lying on a beach; a few strange looking trees arched high over my head. I sat up, and glanced around.

Surrounding me was a small stretch of sand, some trees, and in all directions, endless blue ocean. I gaped. It was so colorful. I'd never seen anything like it. But I was all alone, and there was something strange about the sky. It wasn't blue. It was white. Tentatively I edged closer to the water and let it brush against the tip of my shoe. I suppose this dream isn't as bad as the last one. I could get used to being in a place like this.

_Are you prepared for your destiny?_

I started and looked around wildly. There was that voice again.

_Are you willing to protect those who will save the worlds?_

_Re-awaken, Protector…_

_And ask yourself, what is important?_

"What's important, huh?" I mumbled. It seemed like the entity was waiting for an answer.

I clenched my hands into fists and pulled the words from my heart, "Being true and never giving up, even if it seems like there's no hope."

All at once, a great gust of wind hoisted me into the air, and sent me careening back into the water. At first I panicked, thinking I was about to die, but then I realized it wasn't like normal water. I could breathe – albeit a little difficultly – and watch as I descended slowly through the dark depths, further and further from the light.

_Follow him._

_Help him._

_Guide him._

_Be the light in darkness._

_Do not fear._

_For you hold the Key._

My feet touched solid ground, and I glanced around. It looked like I was standing on a great circular coin in the middle of the darkness. Cautiously, I stepped toward the edge and looked over. It seemed to go on forever, down and down into the swirling darkness. I shivered.

There was a sound behind me and I spun. Only a few feet away, a black shadow on the ground had formed, and out of it, was crawling a creature with twitching claws and big lifeless glowing yellow eyes. This had to be the worst dream ever, I thought, nearly backing over the edge into the precipice below.

The voice came to me again, this time telling me to reach into my heart and pull out my power to fight back. I shook my head. What in the world was that supposed to mean? I can't fight a monster, despite how small it was, without a proper weapon!

I patted myself down, searching for anything on my persons that would help, and when that proved futile, I glanced around at the flat platform. Nothing. I was defenseless.

The little creature stood swaying in front of me, studying its prey. And when I stilled, it took advantage and lunged. I cried out, tripping over my own feet in an attempt to escape, falling to the ground. This is the end I thought hopelessly, my heart wrenching as the yellow eyed thing soared closer. In a last attempt at saving myself, I threw my hands up and waited for pain.

There was a bright flash of light, and I felt the creature fall upon me, but there was something between us. I cracked my eyes open slightly and gasped, not able to believe what I was holding. Keeping the clawing creature at bay was a giant key. The handle was encased in intricate metal work that reminded me of smoke tendrils from a burning candle, moving down, I noticed that the metal grew narrower, twisting amongst itself until the very end where separate pieces stuck out perpendicularly in jagged uneven shapes. Quite literally, and to my utter disbelief, I was holding a weapon; a weapon that looked distinctly like a giant freaking key.

I shoved the creature away from me, suddenly feeling power where previously I had felt fear. And almost like something else took over my body, I quickly got to my feet and swung down hard. My weapon glittered in the soft light, and I couldn't help but think that it was beautiful, but startling at the same time. The creature staggered, and I lunged forward, piercing straight through the little thing. It disappeared in a swirl of black.

It felt like I fought for hours against these monsters. Finally, I collapsed to the ground, my giant key feeling too heavy to lift again. Slowly, I looked up to meet the gazes of thousands of glowing yellow eyes looking at me. There were too many. I sat on my knees in horror as they all came rushing toward me. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, wishing to wake up from this nightmare. As their little bodies slammed into me, I went tumbling off the side of the platform into the darkness below. At first, my entire body felt like it was on fire, and then I didn't feel anything. Instead, I was floating again. I opened my eyes a crack. The creatures were nowhere to be seen. My body felt cold. My eyes drifted to just above me. A glowing crystal heart hovered, giving off the faintest amount of warmth.

"Is that…mine…?" I whispered, the comforting feeling from the warmth suddenly fading. It became too much to keep my eyes open, I succumbed to the darkness.

_Choose wisely._

_For this will determine who you are._

_Protect the one you must._

When I woke up this time I found that I was on the floor of the library, still gripping the book in shaky white hands. I released it immediately, like it was on fire, and scrambled away from it. I mumbled, slightly hysterically, "Okay…never reading that again."

A loud rumbling suddenly shook the entire building, and I started, gripping the seat I had previously been sitting in with all my might. What was that? It came again, this time accompanied with screams. Something was wrong. I quickly rushed to the door, taking one last glance at the mysterious book lying innocently next to my backpack.

Just before heading outside, the lights flickered and went out, leaving me in the dark hallway of the school. My breath came out shakily, but I kept moving. Soon, I stood in front of the front doors; the screams reaching my ears were louder now. Looking around, I grabbed a spare umbrella, took a deep breath, and wrenched open the door to the outside. What I saw made my heart flutter weakly and nearly stop.

Most of the buildings surrounding the school had been destroyed, people were lying on the ground motionless, and…those monsters from my dream were ambling after those that were still running. This couldn't be happening…not for real. A woman screamed as she sprinted by, children cried as they stood alone, wondering where their parents had gone to so suddenly in all this mayhem.

"I'm still dreaming…" I muttered dazedly, watching as one of the monsters tackled an old man to the ground. I reached up and pinched myself, the man's legs writhing. I pinched harder as the shuddering grew less frequent, until finally he stilled, a glowing crystal rising from his chest. The little creature held its catch in its spindly claws, almost seeming to relish in it. And then, it swallowed it whole.

My eyes grew wide with terror, watching as the thing turned and caught sight of me. I couldn't think of what else to do besides raising my makeshift weapon high above my head and running headlong towards the thing. With a sharp swing, I swatted the little monster away. Once it was on its back a few feet away, I crouched by the old man and shook him hurriedly.

The man's eyes were glazed over, the clear sky full of stars reflected in them. But his body was starting to fade away into the swirling Darkness. I glanced in the direction of the creature and was met with its glowing eyes. It had righted itself, and now stood on the balls of its feet, swaying from side to side in front of me. Another second later, I glanced back to the old man and gasped. He was no longer a person anymore. Scrambling away, I realized that he too had turned into one of the creatures with large glowing yellow eyes. The old man's creature gazed down at me blankly, and then launched into the air. At the last possible second, I was able to block. Now I was flat on my back, straining to keep its claws from tearing at my face. In my dream it had been an easier effort to hold its weight, but now, my arms were starting to shake.

_Do not fear._

_For you hold the Key._

The unknown voice drifted to my ears, almost caressing me. Immediately, a bright flash blinded me, and in my hands rested the oversized key once again. Seeing it somehow gave me the strength to push back. And soon, the fire inside me was powering me through the dozens of creatures in the square.

I didn't pause, though. Now that I had the power to fight back, I knew what I had to do. I had to get to my mom. I ran hard and fast, pausing occasionally to dispense with an enemy. When I got to the house, however, my heart sank. Half of the one story building had been blown away.

"Mom!" I screamed. My voice rang out, echoes reaching back over and over again. No answer.

I clambered over the rubble, still calling for her, but I knew that it was no use. She probably got away in time I told myself, ignoring the horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. I stood on top of the back wall of my living room and looked out across the valley. When I got out here, I noticed that the number of monsters had thinned, so that must mean they're appearing somewhere farther away, but where?

That's when I saw it. On the other side of town, and over the treetops of the forest, I could plainly see a giant, swirling black hole, thousands of the little yellow-eyed creatures pouring out. I made up my mind then, to go there and try and stop this. I took off at a dead sprint. More and more creatures appeared from the shadows, lunging at me. Most I dodged, but occasionally one would land a blow to my shoulder or leg and I'd stagger.

And then I burst through the tree line to my favorite spot; my little clearing by the water's edge. As my eyes fell on the willow tree, my blood ran cold. The giant tree that towered out over the water had cracked and split at the trunk, and now lay half immersed in the dark waters. Its roots were half ripped from the earth, reaching pitifully towards the sky.

I looked out on the water and saw the epicenter of the evil, and felt my hand clench determinedly on the handle of my Key. Without a moment to lose, I clambered out as far as I could on the tree, and look a running jump off into the water, however, I did not splash in as I thought I would. Instead, I landed on the surface, and stood gaping down at it. It seemed that the black hole had extended across the water, creating a solid black surface.

Fine with me. I took a deep breath, gripped my weapon, and charged. The creatures were slow to act. I guess coming through the portal was disorienting. Only when the last creature was gone, did I stop. I stood with my hands on my knees, gasping for breath.

The dark storm clouds above seemed to sense the lessening presence of evil and began parting. I looked up in time to see the moon revealing. As its light washed over me, my shadow came into view.

"What the-?" I cried, springing back. My shadow transformed before my eyes. It was actually rising up, gathering a form. It continued growing, and changing, until it towered over me. Without warning, its hand swung down and caught my middle, sending me careening through the air. I landed hard, the air leaving my lungs in one great gush. I coughed and pushed myself up, wheezing. If I had to fight this thing to win and save Junction, then I would. No way was I going to lose!

The battle lasted longer than I would have liked, but finally the giant creature let out a piteous groan and fell. I grinned for all of a moment before realizing that its body wasn't touching the ground anymore. I looked up to the black hole, and to my horror, saw that it had grown to twice its size, an angry red glow pulsing deep within its depths. That's when I felt like I was being sucked towards it. I twisted around wildly, my feet slipping on the smooth surface of the water, trying to grab onto something. The tip of the tree was my only chance. I strained towards it. My fingers were just about to close around the branch, when suddenly the force pulling against me grew stronger, and I veered away.

"No!" I cried, the ground falling away beneath me as I was sucked into the darkness.

My head was pounding. I tried to sit up, but found that my entire body was aching with heaviness. I let my head fall back onto the wall I was leaning against and groaned, "What…happened?"

As I opened my eyes, my head began to spin. I sat bewildered and dizzy until the line of buildings surrounding me grew into focus. It seemed like I was sitting in a large, empty courtyard. Struggling to my feet, I stumbled out unsurely. I don't recognize this place. The windows were all lit and I could see the silhouettes of people moving around. Could it be that I was…in a different world?

Behind me, there came a scuffing sound, and I whirled wildly, ready for anything. But I stopped dead when I saw a dark haired girl looking at me curiously. I backed away when she made a move forward. She looked shocked for a moment, then said slowly, "Hey, listen kid…I'm not gonna hurt you…"

She raised her hands in surrender and took another step in my direction. I flinched and shouted, "Stay away!"

She froze, regarding me carefully. My head was feeling dizzy again, and I braced myself against the wall, still keeping one eye on her. After a moment she offered once again, "I only want to help…"

I gazed at her reproachfully. She didn't appear to be dangerous, but then again, what did I know anymore. Yesterday if I had been told that I would be battling creatures with a giant key, and then get sucked into a black hole after defeating my own shadow and ending up in an unfamiliar place, I would have laughed.

"Yuffie, give him some space…he's scared."

A tall brown haired man with a scar running across his face came into view. Another stranger? This wasn't looking too good. Two to one, with me feeling sick, really weren't favorable odds. But I could still get the upper hand by attacking first, the element of surprise. When the girl pouted, turning her head to look up at the man and argue, I took my opportunity. There was the now familiar flash of white, and then I was swinging. They easily dodged out of the way.

My blade sliced through air and I went crashing to the cobble stones, panting. I tried pushing myself up, but it was no use, I was too weak. I was done for. I clenched my eyes and waited, but they never attacked. Instead I heard the girl breathe excitedly, "Look Leon, he's got a Keyblade! He's the one Merlin told us to look out for!"

At the sound of the name Merlin, I stirred. Why did that sound familiar?

The man said pointedly, "Yeah…alright kid, someone's been expecting you. We're gonna take you to him…"

I didn't have it in me to fight as strong arms snaked around my waist and hoisted me up. Weakly, I struggled, but the man merely muttered, "It's us or the Heartless, kid…"

Were those what those little creatures were called? I stopped trying to break free. It took a while, but once they got me successfully on the man's back, whose name I supposed was Leon, we started walking down a side alley towards a glowing red door. I must've passed out for a while, because when I opened my eyes again, I was lying on a small bed in a dark room.

I felt much better than I had before, but still a little light headed. I could ignore it easily enough, however, and sit up. For a moment, I listened to the silence, hoping that I would be pulled back to reality by a loud noise in the real world, like my alarm going off, or the school bell, or my mom yelling. But it never came.

With no other option available, I decided to push aside the curtain that hung over the entrance to the room and see what was beyond. Soft light from a fire, numerous candles, and a lantern hanging from the ceiling greeted me first, and then a familiar voice drifted over, "Ah, my boy, you are awake. That's good to see."

My eyes widened in shock, and I stood gaping over at the old man that had given me that crazy book back in Junction. Anger flared up, my hands balled into fists, and I asked, "Why…why did you do that?"

"I'm sorry…?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused and a little taken aback. I noticed Leon and Yuffie both standing next to him, also looking concerned. "I'm not sure I understand-"

"You made all that happen! That stupid book of yours made those…_things_ destroy _everything_!" I called, my whole body shaking with the effort of not crying. "And now, Mom is…"

His brow softened in sympathy as he replied softly, "My boy, that book did not cause your world to be swallowed by the darkness…it was the Heartless…"

My legs felt like they were about to give out, so I sat on the ground heavily, drawing my knees close and hugging them to my chest. After a moment of strained silence, I asked softly, "Where am I…?"

"You are in my house, in the Third District of Travers Town."

"What are Heartless?"

"They are creatures that eat people's hearts. They feed off the darkness in them."

"Why did you give me that book?"

"I was told to give it to you. So you are aware, that book was to prepare you for the impending Heartless attack. It was not a door that allowed them in."

I glanced down at my hand for a moment, and then called out my weapon. I asked, "What is this? And why do I have it?"

"That is a Keyblade. A few have the privilege to carry it. But only one has the power to wield _The_ Keyblade. You have a special Keyblade, to be sure, but we are still waiting for the Keybearer to arrive." He explained. "You were chosen by Kingdom Hearts, the Heart of all worlds, to be The Protector of the Keybearer. When you are reunited with him, you will see."

"You mean…I didn't have a choice in this…?" I asked through gritted teeth.

The old man's eyes widened behind his half moon spectacles as he glanced from me to the other two before stuttering, "N-no, that's not at all what-"

"Whatever," I cut in. "Screw my "Destiny", I'm not _protecting_ anyone that's put me through all this crap."

And with that, I stood, glared at the three of them, and went back into the little room behind the curtain. I could hear their muffled conversation, but chose to block it out. Instead, I curled up on the bed and tried sleeping again.

The next day I realized, with an almighty growl from my stomach, that I was hungry. Dejectedly, I shuffled out in search of food. I found it, and the old man found me. He kept badgering me about my Destiny, and how this was important to all the worlds, but I still had a hard time accepting that I was this "Protector". But, to make him give it a rest, I went along with his plans for training me.

I would go live with Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, and Cid in the hotel. The plan was to train me in combat using my Keyblade while we waited around for the Keyblade Master to show up. As the weeks passed, I grew stronger. Leon still beat me, but I could get close. And Yuffie had nothing on my speed.

And over time, I found that the more I spent hanging around them, the more I felt comfortable being in close contact over extended periods of time. I would never admit this out loud, but Leon felt like the older brother I never had. He was what I found to be modeling myself after; always calm, always sure of himself. I could stand being in the same room for much longer with him than with Yuffie.

But today, I just couldn't be around anyone. It's been over two weeks, and still no sign of this "Keyblade Master". This was all so pointless. I'd asked Merlin why, if I was so special, couldn't I just go to all the different worlds myself.

"Because," he answered, barely looking in my direction. "You are The Protector; the Keybearer holds your true power."

I curled my legs in and hugged them to my chest sighing heavily; sitting out on the balcony always calmed me down. Aerith had tried approaching me once to cheer me up, but I didn't have it in me to talk. I never want to. Everything was a waste of time. So when the door opened again, annoyance washed over me.

I glanced over my shoulder, and to my surprise, saw Leon instead. I didn't meet his gaze as he stepped up beside the rail of the balcony. Thankfully, he didn't launch into a talk. That was another thing that I liked, he almost seemed to know exactly how I was feeling, even thinking, at times.

"Yuffie told me that if I didn't come out here, she'd be the one to cook dinner…" he mumbled, checking to see if my expression had changed. When I stayed unsmiling, he continued, "Listen, I know it's rough-"

"No you don't…" I cut in, finally looking up into his slightly surprised eyes, clenching my fists. "…my home…my _life_, was destroyed, because I was the one that didn't have the power to stop it. It's not rough…it's unbearable…having to sit around waiting for someone else to come along and do what I feel like I should have been able to."

I bit my lip, not wanting Leon to see it tremble. Silence fell between us, and I looked away quickly, putting my chin on my knees and looking down at the alley below. He merely continued gazing down at me, until he said softly, "Neither of us can change what happened, now. You tried, we tried, but what we need is the Keyblade Master. He's the only one that can make this right, and that's how it is, no matter how much I wish it wasn't…"

He reached out and patted me on the back before turning and going back inside without another word. Only then did I let myself break down out of grief.

I sat there for hours, gazing unseeingly out in silence, thoughts of my Mom and Junction flashing through my mind. Only when it started growing late into the night did I decide to return. Sighing, I started my short walk back inside and to my room. However, halfway down the hall, Yuffie came bursting in through another door. I stopped and watched her reproachfully as she looked around wildly before spotting me and dashing to meet me.

"What's wrong…?"

"We found him!" she burst, gasping slightly.

My eyes widened a fraction before I asked, "Are you sure?"

She nodded fervently and wheezed, "Leon said he saw his Keyblade! And all the Heartless are being drawn by his power!"

I think she thought her news would make me happy. But how could I be? He was why I was here in the first place. Anger was all that I could feel right now. That didn't faze her though. She snatched up my hand and started dragging me in the opposite direction crying, "C'mon, let's go meet him!"


	3. Travers Town to Wonderland

"Why'd you have to go and knock him out, Squall?" Yuffie screeched angrily, fluttering over the unconscious spiky haired boy.

"There were too many Heartless around," Leon explained coolly. "He'd want to ask questions, and we didn't have time for that."

She merely made a noise and continued her fussing. When she moved to the opposite side of the bed, I peered over from my spot by the door and finally took a good look at this guy that was so vitally important. He didn't look much older, might even be a year younger from the look at his chubby cheeks and smaller stature. Other than his crazily spiked chestnut hair, he looked normal. I was a little upset by this. How was he supposed to be the savior of the worlds?

I crossed my arms and huffed, glaring haughtily at the window.

A few minutes later, and the boy finally began to stir. Yuffie leaned excitedly over him as his brows furrowed. Slowly, his eyes opened a crack and he asked blearily, "Kairi…?"

"Who's Kairi? I'm Yuffie!" she said, startling the boy into a sitting position. She nodded over her shoulder to Leon and said, "I think you might've overdone it!"

The boy rubbed his neck as he glanced around the room unsurely. When he got to me, our eyes met, and I felt the blue orbs pierce straight through. My stomach clenched uncomfortably, something seeming to pass from the beginning to the end of me. Like electricity.

"Sorry, but that Keyblade of yours is what the Heartless are looking for." Leon explained, drawing the boy's attention away from me. "I had to conceal your heart's power so they wouldn't find you."

When his eyes traveled away, I let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding. What just happened?

"Wait, this isn't making any sense! What's going on?" the boy started, growing increasingly worried. However, a large bang from the direction of the alley rang out.

"Damn, they found us already!" Leon muttered.

Yuffie was to the door in a second, ushering me through and calling back, "Leon, we gotta go!"

We ran as fast as we could through the halls and out into the Second District. Once in the open, Leon said hurriedly, "Faitouru, you take him and head for the safe house, Yuffie and I'll distract them!"

I was about to argue, but the look in his eyes clearly said this was non-negotiable. Drawing my lips into a thin line, I nodded and spun, rushing past the gawking boy, and muttering a quick, "Follow me."

In a minute, I noticed that Leon's distraction seemed to be working. The enemies were thinning. Around the next corner and we'd have made it into the courtyard where the door to the safe house was. The boy, to my displeasure, took the momentary solitude as an opportunity to jog up next to me and grin stupidly. I merely glared, careful to avoid eye contact, and stayed silent.

"So you live with those two back-" he began, but was suddenly cut off as two beings landed on him unceremoniously. I jumped back, calling out my Keyblade in anticipation of an ambush. But something about these two told me that that wasn't going to happen. They looked as diabolical as a Moogle. I crossed my arms and waited impatiently for them to right themselves. That's when the oversized Duck cried out, brandishing a finger at the boy's Keyblade, "The Key! Goofy, we found him!"

"Gawrsh, Donald, you're right!"

How did they know about the Keyblade? Suspicion roared up in me, and I was about to ask who exactly they were, when something giant came crashing to the ground in front of us. While the dust cleared, I heard the grinding of metal clanking together over the coughs and spluttering. I saw it first, a Heartless the size of a two story building, stood before us.

"Look out!" I called, my Keyblade once again flashing to my hands. The others stood gazing dumbstruck up at the giant. In a flash, I dodged a metal fist and looked back to see the floppy eared one called Goofy shielding the boy from a blow to the side. We fought together after that. I was surprised to see that they could all hold their own against the enemy. And in no time, we managed to win.

After the Heartless had disappeared, I could tell they wanted to make introductions, but that would be stupid out in the open like this; especially after a boss battle like that. I said, quickly striding in the direction of the Third District's courtyard, "C'mon, Leon'll be waiting…"

"He's pretty good!" Yuffie said, awe in her voice after I'd gotten through explaining to her and Leon what had happened. I rolled my eyes and caught sight of said idiot getting the lesson on the Heartless from Merlin. I still couldn't see why he was so special.

Both of them exchanged looks before walking over to the boy and the others. Yuffie said happily, extending her hand towards him, "We didn't really get the chance to introduce ourselves before. I'm Yuffie!"

She pointed to Leon over her shoulder and said, "This is Squall Leonheart, but he prefers Leon."

Next her finger was directed at me, "And this kid is Faitouru."

I grimaced and refused to acknowledge him, much to everyone's discomfort.

The boy merely shook his head and took Yuffie's hand before saying happily, "I'm Sora!"

"Donald Duck and Goofy at your service, Ahyuck!"

Everyone smiled for a moment before the boy asked, "So…you guys have been looking for me, huh?"

"Our King told these people about you when they came to this different world, they've been helping us look." Donald cut in matter-of-factly.

"Oh…and, why exactly am I so important?" Sora asked, scratching his neck embarrassedly.

"Because you are the wielder of the Keyblade," Leon answered easily.

"But…he has one too, though. How do you know I'm the right guy?"

"You have a power that only the Keyblade Master can emit. You are unique." Merlin gushed, making me roll my eyes.

Yuffie nodded enthusiastically and continued, "You are the Keyblade Master, and he's The Protector! A perfect team!"

Sora ran a hand through his hair in thought, glancing over in my direction once again, before asking, "Team?"

"Well, sure!" she chided. "When you two first met, you felt the connection, right? His power is directly linked to your heart!"

My eyes flashed, remembering our first encounter back at the hotel. It had felt like a lightning bolt had reached in and set my whole being on fire. Sora also seemed to recognize that what Yuffie was talking about was what happened.

"How do you know so much about this?" he asked, hurriedly avoiding the topic as our eyes met briefly. Strange the feeling didn't happen again.

"King Mickey told us about who will need to save the worlds. He asked us to keep a lookout for him and the Protector." Leon answered, nodding in my and Sora's directions.

This still didn't feel real to me, I realized as the conversation kept on. And the worst part of this nightmarish dream-like reality was that I wasn't in control over it. My whole existence was being planned, _had_ been…and I wasn't ready.

"I need air…" I muttered suddenly, pushing past the others out of the cramped sitting room and into the alley way.

The air was cool and felt good against my burning skin. I sucked in as much as my lungs could hold and sighed heavily. A light in the building across the courtyard caught my eye, and I began to stroll lazily towards it, letting my mind wander.

I don't know how long I was out there for, but it didn't seem like long enough before that boy's voice carried through the still air, "Faitouru…right?"

I turned and fixed him with a stern gaze. He chewed on his lower lip before saying tentatively, "U-um, well…Leon told me to come get you. He said you needed to say goodbye to Yuffie before we left."

I was extremely tempted to tell him that I'd rather let the Heartless take my heart than go with him anywhere, but I managed to hold my tongue. For a brief moment, we stood facing each other in silence. His head tilted to the side slightly before he asked, "Hey…are you sure we haven't met before…?"

Anger rushed through me, but I bit back the insult I wished to hurl at him and instead brushed past him into the safe house. His body language told me that he wanted to say more. I was glad he didn't.

Part of me really was going to miss Yuffie and her over-kill of a personality, so I felt the pang of sadness run through me as she ran up and flung her arms around my neck. Aerith I would also miss. She became my sort of surrogate mother, even though I'd rather not admit it. But it was Leon, I think, that would be the one person I would think of most often on the journey ahead.

I saved his farewell for last, waiting until the others were occupied to approach him. I strode over to him and glared at the rug under my feet. The words I knew I should say did not come to me, so I merely stood stock still.

"Take care of him, okay kid…?"

My shoulders tensed as his words hit me. Why did he want to talk about that…idiot while I was trying my hardest to say goodbye?

His hand fell heavily on my shoulder as he leaned down and said, "When you come back, I want to see that he's alright…"

When you come back…? Was this his way of saying goodbye? Was he as bad at this as me? Slowly, I lifted my chin and met his dark eyes with my amethyst ones. There; I could see in his gaze all of what he wished to convey. He would miss me too…

Almost without thinking, I felt the corners of my mouth twitch up in a smile, but only for an instant before I was back to business. Seriously, I muttered, "I won't let anything happen to him…"

"Good." Leon smiled, patting me slightly before standing straight once again. "You better go see Cid, now."

I nodded, hesitated slightly, then turned on my heel and followed after Sora and the others to the door that would take us to the third district. With one final wave, we were out the door. It was quiet out, like usual, but the air felt charged somehow. I'm pretty sure it was only me that was thinking that, but still…I was going to visit other worlds. Finally, I was getting what I had been dreaming about.

"So, Faitouru, where did you come from?" Sora asked after falling in step next to me.

I glanced over at him, annoyance running through me, but didn't break stride. Mumbling, while trying to pick up my pace, "Nowhere anymore…"

"What's it called?" he asked brightly, keeping right with me.

Those ridiculously large eyes set in that stupid baby face of his was too much to resist. I ended up replying curtly, "Junction."

Cid's shop would be in sight soon. I realized with relief.

"What's it like?"

If he was going to be this inquisitive for the entire time, I think I might actually kill him. My fists and jaw clenched as my anger flared dangerously. Thankfully, he grinned stupidly and threw his arms behind his head and said, cutting me off, "Sorry, Kairi always told me it was good to talk when meeting someone new!"

I didn't have enough time to glare at him. We had come upon Cid's shop door and he was disappearing inside still smiling happily. With as much self control as I could muster, I swallowed my irritation and followed.

The distinct mixture between a dozen different smells assaulted my nostrils as I strode in behind the Keyblade-Moron. It sort of equaled to what my living room smelt like, plus burning wood, and oil. My nose wrinkled slightly as Sora called out cheerily, "Hey, old man, Leon said you've got something for us!"

"I aint old ya brat!" Cid hollered back his drawl thick, brandishing a greased up metal gear in his direction. "Yeah, I got sumthin' fer ya…ungrateful little…"

We filed in and waited while he dug around under the counter. A moment later, he came around, arms full of tiny little muti-colored things. I had expected something a little more muted in color, but whatever. Cid stopped in front of Sora and dumped the contents unceremoniously onto him, who staggered slightly, struggling to keep a hold on all of them.

"Hey!" he cried indignantly. Cid merely ignored him and looked down at me pointedly explaining how they worked.

"But if you don't wanna do it yerselves, then come back here an I'll do it fer ya."

By now, Sora had stored the Gummi Blocks safely and said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "Thanks _Gramps_!"

"Why you little-!" Cid growled, snatching at him. But Sora merely danced out of reach and was now disappearing out through the door, Donald and Goofy following after. I merely rolled my eyes and started after as well.

"Watch yer back out there." Cid offered as I stepped out into the dimly lit street.

I paused and turned, catching his eye. The straw dangling from his lips bobbed slightly as he made a face that I assumed was supposed to be friendly, but ended up looking a little strange on his scraggly features. Turning away, I waved once over my shoulder, and let the door close behind me decisively.

And so, we left. I was surprised by how small the ship was on the inside; just enough room for two small bedrooms and the cockpit. I held my arms out, finding that my palms pressed against the walls of the bedroom easily. Sighing, I chose bottom bunk. I tended to roll around when I slept, and as a rule, never fell asleep in anything higher than my knees.

Sora and Donald fought over the other bottom bunk. I was lobbying for Donald to lose, that way, the lesser of two evils would room with me. He would just ignore me, whereas Sora would pester me so much so that I couldn't sleep. However, I was sad to find that Donald won the arguing match, effectively kicking Sora into my room.

"Any chance you'd wanna switch to top bunk?" he asked sheepishly. I merely closed my eyes and turned to face the wall. And, like I predicted, he didn't stop badgering me until we arrived at our first destination.

Floating lazily down through a cavern, I let my pulsing headache calm. Instead of dwelling on how deeply my distaste for Sora ran, I focused on the task at hand. Finding out where we were, and eliminating the Heartless threat. Glancing around, I saw the roots weaving in and out of the wallpaper, and holding up strange looking pictures in lopsided frames. Far below, I noticed a black and white checkered floor growing closer as time passed.

After a few minutes, I landed softly on my feet next to Sora who was already looking around with excited curiosity.

"It looks so weird!" he cried, pointing at the distorted floor, and oddly dimensioned walls and doorways. He was right about that. It was like I stepped into a watercolor that had just gotten a Technicolor drink spilled on it.

"I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!" A flash of white cried as it scampered by my feet. My eyes focused on a white rabbit, carrying a comically large stopwatch, and wearing a multi-colored lapel, sprint nervously around the corner.

Another flash rushed past me as Sora darted after him crying, "Wait!"

He turned back to me and the others and motioned for us to follow. Goofy and Donald shared a smile before chasing after. Sighing, I also followed. And when I came around the corner, I stopped abruptly. Sora and the others were peering on their hands and knees at a small door.

"Maybe we can squeeze through…?" Sora muttered, clearly thinking out loud before gripping the knob and turning it forcefully.

Not only did it open, but from out of the wall, an accordion of other doors also opened, each growing in size. Sora, unfortunately, wasn't prepared for the extra doors and was smacked square in the face as they swung forward. I could not laugh fast enough. Sora rolled around, clutching his nose, but immediately cried out nasally, "It's not funny!"

The others helped him up and began fussing. Shaking my head amusedly, I walked past them into the room beyond the multi-door. All I could think was that this place was weird. Sora asked from behind, not sounding like he was pinching his nose anymore, "Do you see him?"

Scanning from left to right, it seemed to me like the room was completely empty. I was about to tell him no, however, when I saw a flash of white by small door with an oversized knob. I pointed, dashing in the rabbit's direction, "There!"

By the time I scooted around the table to where I'd last seen him, he was already gone. I stood, peering at the door, waiting for the others to catch up. Donald asked as they halted next to me, "How do we get through?"

That's what I'd just been asking myself. Could the door even be opened? The door seemed to be much too small for any of us. I was about to suggest we search the room for other entrances, when Sora strode right up to the little door, crouched, and twisted the knob with all his might. I think he thought it might be like the other door, opening up many doors that grew in size. What happened next was so unexpected, that I jumped in surprise. A voice cried out in pain. Sora immediately let go and stumbled back into me. Donald and Goofy also stepped back, knocking into the little bed, which promptly disappeared into the wall leaving them flat on their backs. Sora clutched at me, looking down at the doorknob that was talking, with horror.

It blathered on about how rude we were, and how no one treated him fairly in this place called Wonderland. Sora seemed to get over the initial shock, and was now fascinated by the little door and what he was saying. I just rolled my eyes, slightly tempted to threaten the door with a good kick if it didn't tell us where the rabbit went.

"You cannot get through being your size!" the knob trilled regally, finally answering Sora's repeated questions. Sora deflated.

"But if you drink from the vial on the table, you will become the correct size."

I looked around and spotted the vial filled with blue liquid that read: Drink me. My brows furrowed suspiciously. But of course before I could voice my opinion, Sora snatched up the little drink, grinned, and took a small sip. The transformation was instantaneous. One moment, Sora was there, the next he wasn't. A fire roared inside me as I rounded on the doorknob and cried, "What did you do to him?"

For a moment, the knob said nothing and I figured it was because it would not reveal where he'd kidnapped Sora to, but then I heard the smallest of cries from near my feet. Curiously, I looked down along with the others. Goofy said, "Look, there's Sora, Ahyuck!"

Sure enough, there he was, his little arm waving over his head energetically. He was no bigger than my pointer finger. I threw a dirty look over at the doorknob and asked as Donald took a sip from the vial, "Will we be able to get back to normal?"

"Hmph, what _is_ normal? Certainly not what you are now..." he answered haughtily, promptly falling asleep.

Goofy merely shrugged his shoulders and also took a sip. I however, hesitated. Could I really trust what he was saying? I glanced to the others on the ground below and sighed. Finally, I stepped over to the table, took a sip and waited.

It was an odd sensation. It didn't hurt, but it was just very odd. All I could do was close my eyes and wait for the shimmering and spinning to stop.

"Keep up!" Donald quacked aggravated, already walking towards an archway that was revealed when he and Goofy fell against the bed. My eyes snapped open, and I glared at his retreating back. Man, I couldn't stand him.

Looking around, I noticed that everything seemed so much more intimidating at this height. The table was now as big as a two story house. But, when the first Heartless showed up, I was relieved to see that they were normal sized, not gigantic. The doorknob's words came back to me: _…what is normal? Certainly not what you are now…_

So maybe his annoying riddles did have some cryptic meaning…whatever.

Sora, I noticed, was looking around like a kid in a gigantic candy store. He said excitedly, his head on a swivel, "This is so cool!"

His eyes suddenly met mine, and I blushed, realizing I'd just been starring at him. But he merely grinned and took the opportunity to fall in step next to me and ask conversationally, "What do you think about this place?"

_I think it's absolutely ridiculous_, I thought, quickly looking away. I merely shrugged, however. For a moment, we walked in silence, which was probably more uncomfortable than his senseless conversation. I felt his eyes on me. I merely grit my teeth and stubbornly kept my eyes fixated on Donald and Goofy walking ahead of us.

"Your Keyblade is weird looking." He suddenly said. I looked up, half taken aback, half amused, and half a little irritated. He seemed to realize that he'd said something rude and quickly stammered, waving his arms around apologetically, "N-not weird, I-I meant just different, um…"

He trailed off, his embarrassment showing as his face flooded with color. We fell into an awkward silence. Maybe he really was annoying, but…could it be that that was just how he was? Was his positivity really the key to saving the worlds? It was a foreign thought to me. All my life, I could only count on myself and my own tenacity and hard work. This…boy was introducing a new outlook to me. It clashed horribly with my personality, but I could see now why everyone seemed so fond of him.

"Well…I think _your_ Keyblade is weird looking too…" I mumbled, silently offering peace.

His face made me think of a fish, mouth opening and closing as he stared dumbfounded. I turned to look at him and smirked. At that moment, I felt a rush of happiness. For the first time in a long time, I was making an effort to joke with another person. And I wasn't afraid to open up. But that was as far as I was going to let it go for now.

Briskly, I set off at a faster pace, my mind focusing back on tracking down the white rabbit. Thankfully, we didn't have to search for long. We caught up to the rabbit, and found ourselves in a sort of court room that was surrounded by topiary and oversized cards that served as the guards to a small blonde haired girl. We looked on at her trial and found that the Queen/Judge was being ridiculously biased.

"That's not fair!" Sora cried, rushing to the girl's side.

"How dare you! Off with his-!" she screeched.

Sora cut her off and called, "It wasn't her! It was the Heartless!"

The woman seemed to debate the proposition for a short moment before demanding loudly, "Prove to me that it wasn't her with _evidence_."

I gaped up at her. Seriously? This crazy woman wanted us to run around for her amusement? Of course Sora immediately accepted.

"Why do you _always_ do that?" I asked once we were on the search for our evidence. Sora turned to me and asked incredulously, "Do _what_?"

"Always stick your neck out for every person we run across!" I burst.

He seemed to be more mad than usual by what I said and cried angrily, "Because, that's what's _right_!"

We both stood fuming, glaring daggers. Why was _I_ even mad? Normally, I couldn't care less what other people did. But for some reason, I felt so…protective of him. If he put himself in dangerous situations, I found myself wanting to go with him, or persuade him not to go in the first place. Was this the Protector's doing? Was that his power over me?

For the entirety of our search for the evidence that would prove Alice's innocence, we didn't speak to each other. He led the way, battling through the Heartless with ease. It was interesting watching him fight; so fluid. My first impression of him was far from that of a natural fighter, but it seemed like he'd been doing it for years. It was also interesting to see what I would do. At first, I didn't notice that whenever more Heartless bounded in, I would immediately go to Sora. Once I'd caught myself doing that, I tried staying on the opposite end of the area. Every time, I would slowly gravitate back to his side without realizing.

But, I didn't mind. When I did watch his back, I felt like I was doing what I was supposed to; super weird, but not bad. I still couldn't think of myself as his Protector. But the idea of it was growing on me. I had a purpose. For a while back in Travers Town, it didn't seem like I did. It had felt like my identity had been stolen.

"There." Sora stated triumphantly. "All the evidence we need to prove she's innocent!"

The Queen leered down at us, the look on her face clearly saying that she didn't think we'd actually succeed. After a moment, she straightened in her throne and called, "So be it, but I put in my own evidence as well!"

Four boxes appeared. Three held our evidence, one held the Queen's. Sora gulped and stepped towards them. I merely stood, eyeing the guards who had seemed to multiply in the past few seconds. She was planning something.

Shakily, Sora reached out and opened the last box on the left. A Heartless leapt from inside and stood swaying in front of us. Secretly, I cheered. He picked the right one! The Queen looked flabbergasted. She sat gaping down at the little monster in utter shock. After a moment, her face began to turn a splotchy purple, and she screeched in fury, "OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"

All the guards jumped into action. I sprang out of the way just in time. A spear thudded into the ground right where I had been standing. Thinking quickly, I spun on my heel, calling out my Keyblade at the same time and swung it around, catching a Card's stubby legs sweeping them out from under him. Next, I dashed in the direction I last saw Sora, the fire of battle only smoldering inside me.

I found him at last, trying to break Alice out of her cage. He jumped and swung, trying to break open the metal gate high above. However, he wasn't paying attention to the guards around him. Two were closing in quickly. Without thinking, I sprinted forward. They were getting ready to spear Sora in the back.

At the last possible second, I was able to block one with my Keyblade. The other, I realized too late was going at an awkward angle under my arm. Again, without meaning to, I slid over and caught the edge of the blade with my side, making it glance away. I winced, but acted. Disregarding the pain, I shoved the other spear away and swung my Keyblade under his arm; one down. The other guard had recovered and was ready for my attack. He blocked, but barely. We fought for a few minutes before I was able to land a final blow to the side of his head.

"She's gone!" Sora cried from behind me. I turned and saw that he had managed to lower the cage. The curtains were pushed aside, and sure enough, she was gone. I stepped up beside him and peered around, looking for a trap door, but there was nothing.

"You're hurt!" Sora said, pointing to my wound. That reminds me…

"Idiot, it's your fault!" I snapped, punching him in the shoulder. "Watch your back!"

His eyes widened. As quickly as he could, he dug out a potion and made me drink.

"Sorry…"he muttered. "…I just wanted to save her."

He looked so upset, that my hand lifted to comfort him. I stopped myself and put it back at my side, instead saying, "I know…we'll find her."

His large cerulean eyes looked into my amethyst ones, shining with the hint of tears. No. If he starts crying, I will really not be able to be around him. I held up my hand just as he was about to speak and said, "Really. It's okay…"

He shut his mouth and smiled. Donald and Goofy then suggested that we go back to where our adventure started to see if there was any trace of her. Our backtracking was uneventful until we neared the entrance into the room where we became small. The Cheshire cat appeared out of thin air, grinning down at us and speaking in riddle laden sentences.

I got the gist that ahead would be something dangerous, and that we should check and make sure we were prepared for it. He then provided a blizzard spell.

"Blizzard!" Donald quacked, freezing a nearby tree trunk.

"Blizzard!" Goofy said, accidentally getting Donald. To which he replied with a humble, "Sorry Donald, Ahyuck."

Sora, to my surprise, was having a little difficulty with it. He cried out frustrated, "Blizzard!"

Nothing happened…again. Huffing, he began waving his Keyblade around like an angry two year old. I threw my hands up defensively and called, "That's not going to help, idiot!"

"I don't get it, what am I doing wrong?"

Rolling my eyes, I stood up, grabbed his arm and said, "Look, you have to _feel_ it, otherwise nothing's going to happen."

Releasing him, I crossed my arms and waited. For a moment he didn't understand, and then he realized I meant for him to try again. He started and muttered, "Right" before squeezing his eyes shut as tightly as possible.

"Blizzard!" he said, pointing at a nearby bush. For one small second, I thought something was about to happen. But to my disappointment, only a small snowflake fell from the tip.

"Oops…" he muttered sheepishly. I just shook my head and continued walking along the path to the next room.

Halfway into the room, and nothing had happened yet. Had the cat just been messing with us? I looked around confused. But of course, it couldn't be as easy as that. Something large came crashing to the ground behind us, making me stumble and fall to one knee. Dread in every fiber of my being, I turned and looked up at the Boss Heartless. Standing a little taller than the table, it swayed before us on the balls of its feet, twirling two batons in its spindly fingers.

_No way could something that creepy be real_, I thought panic running through my body, rooting me to the spot. I didn't want to look like a wimp, but as soon as it started walking crookedly towards us, I felt my heart plummet way past my courage. It was just too scary. My eyes widened, and before I knew it, I was running to the other side of the table. The others followed, thinking we'd come up with some sort of plan. But every time I looked over my shoulder, I saw that thing walking jerkily towards us, and had to keep sprinting.

Finally, I paused to catch my breath and Sora caught up. He asked breathlessly, "What're you doing?"

"I-I can't…" I stuttered my eyes growing wide as I saw it rounding the corner.

His own eyes filled with understanding as I kept glancing over his head at the Heartless nearing. His hand clamped down on my arm hard, and he said quickly, "You don't have to be scared. It's just a Heartless."

I had enough sense to be embarrassed. I cried angrily, "I'm not scared!"

He merely smiled and said, "Let's go, then!"

My mouth fell open slightly as he began jogging toward the creature. He was smarter than he looked; trying to goad me into fighting. But, despite that, I still couldn't bring myself to move. Donald and Goofy had also gone to run around its legs, casting spells and slashing. Sora I noticed looked uncharacteristically serious as he narrowly dodged an attack. And for the first time since meeting him, I felt admiration. At the same moment, the fire within me suddenly blazed, and I ran headlong into the battle, blocking a baton from sweeping around and getting Donald.

We fought hard, and it seemed like forever before any one side gained any ground. It had now ignited the batons it twirled, effectively gaining the upper hand. I slid to a stop, panting, and wondered why none of my attacks seemed to be doing much damage. The Heartless was still coming after us; just as vigorously as when we first started. Goofy yelped in pain, and I glanced over at him. There was a rush of wind, the smell of smoke, and all at once it felt like every fiber of my being had been blown away by the force of the flaming baton slamming into my chest.

I crumpled into a heap on the ground a few feet away, unable to draw a breath. When Goofy came lumbering over, I finally gasped and spluttered, clutching my burnt chest tightly. He handed me a potion and started helping me to my feet. That's when Donald went soaring over our heads. Realization washed over me: Sora was out there alone. I pushed Goofy away and muttered, "Go help Donald."

I gritted my teeth against the pain and ran forward. I called out once I was by his side, "I've got a plan! Do you still have magic left?"

He nodded, narrowly missing a swipe from the baton.

"Okay, I'll distract it, you cast blizzard on the baton!" I said, immediately going into action, not waiting to see if he agreed or not. I sprang up, attacking its knees and began drawing it away. I glanced over and saw Sora, eyes screwed shut, concentrating with all his might on casting that spell.

"C'mon…!" I muttered, dodge-rolling away from another attack. "_Feel_ it!"

I had been concentrating too long on what Sora was doing, and didn't see the baton swooping down on me in time. Once again, I was caught in the chest and flung a few feet away. I coughed, white spots dotting my vision. Groaning, I only just managed to see a burst of ice go flying over my head.

_Finally!_ I thought, rolling onto my side, careful not to disturb my new burn too much. Donald, Goofy, and Sora were now casting Blizzard. It was easy to take it down after that. Just as it disappeared, the doorknob woke up and yawned, "What's with all that racket?"

I was about to answer angrily, when Sora's Keyblade suddenly shuddered in his hand, and pointed itself at the doorknob. I watched in awe as a thin bright light erupted out of the point and shot into the knob's mouth. For a moment, nothing happened, and then I heard a resolute click of a lock being closed. At once Sora's Keyblade fell back to his side and all became silent.

"What was _that_?" Sora asked in awe, testing the end of the blade with his finger.

"Didn't Leon say something about this sorta thing happening?" Goofy asked, scratching his head quizzically. "Somethin' about lockin' the worlds…?"

We all stood a moment, thinking on that. I didn't remember anything about it, but the others did. Then again, I didn't pay much attention to conversations when I was there. So I shrugged and asked, "So are we gonna go and lock another world, now?"

The others looked over at me, then back at each other and nodded.


	4. Olympus, Travers, Agrabah

Our next world that we came across was much saner than Wonderland had been. And after a short rest on the Gummi ship, we had landed and were talking with a satyr named Phil. The only problem I had with him was that he kept spoon feeding this crap about needing a Hero License in order to be a Hero. I was unimpressed, and thought it was a waste of time, but Sora was eating it up. He instantly assured Phil that he could prove himself. After a short argument, Phil reluctantly consented to putting us up to trial after trial. For me, it was entertaining to watch Sora struggle determinedly through the timed obstacles. After the fifth attempt, however, I started feeling sorry for him.

"Try using Thunder." I suggested during a break.

After that, he sailed through. He was in the middle of thanking me as we walked back to the entrance of the coliseum when a tall blue-haired blue-skinned man appeared from a swirl of shadow. The vibe I got made me instantly distrust him. Trying to not be too noticeable, I positioned myself next to Sora in case he tried something funny. I was surprised and a little suspicious when he extended an invitation for us to join in the preliminary tournament that Phil had previously declined to us.

He disappeared shortly after, making me feel uneasy. Sora still wanted to enter.

"What's the harm? I mean, it's what we came here for!" he said, putting his hands behind his head as we rested in the courtyard outside.

"I still don't trust that guy…" I muttered. There's no way I could dissuade him from going through with it.

Six rounds later, and we stood, glowing with pride and victory. Sora grinned that ridiculous grin of his and flung his arm up over my shoulders and cried, "We did it!"

I plucked his arm from my shoulder and said, "There's still one round left."

"Eh?"

"That guy…"

We both looked in the direction I was pointing and saw a spiky blonde haired guy, leaning arms crossed against the wall adjacent to us.

"He looks tough." Sora said, unable to look away from the mysterious man.

I turned away, stuffing my hands in my pockets, and said, "C'mon…let's rest."

I wasn't going to lie. He definitely looked powerful. But if we were going to have any hope of beating him, we'd need to have all our strength.

And just like I suspected, he was tough; much tougher than us. For a moment, I thought that we were going to lose. The jerk even pinned Sora under the tip of his sword after I was knocked down and said, "You're no match for me." But that's when the unexpected happened. A giant three headed dog caught Cloud around the middle and pinned him violently to the ground. We stood by helplessly as he struggled.

"Quick, get inside!" Hercules shouted, running straight for the black beast. I ushered a shocked Donald and Goofy inside while tugging Sora.

In the safety of the entrance room, I listened to the sound of an intense battle going on outside. Worriedly, I glanced to the others. Sora seemed to be torn. Finally he burst, "We can't just stand here! Herc needs our help!"

Then he just ran right past us and back out into the coliseum.

"Sora!" I called, already following after.

When I reached the edge of the arena, I saw Sora standing in front of Hercules, Keyblade drawn. Cloud was dangling unconscious over the larger of the two's shoulder. As I reached Sora, Herc cried, "I'll leave it to you!"

We were left to deal with the enormous monster. Where did it even come from?

"You take the left head; I'll go for the right!" Sora called.

Our battle was concluded surprisingly easily; no injuries whatsoever. The look on Sora's face could only be described as triumphant. Phil was even impressed. And when Sora attempted to move the boulder that Phil said he had been too puny to move, we all pitched in. Underneath was the Keyhole to the world.

"Ma~n, I'm beat!" Sora gushed as we headed for the exit to the world. "Being awesome sure is tough work!"

I rolled my eyes, choosing not to point out the fact that 1) we helped moving the boulder too and 2) it didn't even matter. He was slowly getting on my nerves again. I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I didn't really notice Sora had stopped in his tracks until I ran into him. That's when I saw Cloud leaning against a pillar ahead of us. His eyes flashed up to us for a moment before he pushed off the column and strode up.

I was expecting him to demand a rematch, but instead he mumbled, "Here…"

The small crystal that he gave Sora was completely foreign. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to have any meaning.

"Your light…don't lose sight of it." He said to everyone, but catching my eye at the last moment. I quickly looked away and wondered what he was talking about. For some reason, I felt embarrassed. Without another word, he walked past us. But as he passed me he paused and ruffled my hair. Under his breath he muttered, "It's alright…"

Now I was more confused than ever. What did he mean? The others looked to me for an answer to Cloud's uncharacteristic kindness towards me, but I just shrugged. I didn't have the faintest idea.

Once I was alone in the Gummi ship, I curled up on my bottom bunk and questioned his motives. Had I seemed upset? Was that why he looked at me? Was that why he told me it was alright? No…I have the same look on my face all the time. I don't care about anything that much.

For the better part of an hour I chased circles in my mind. Finally I asked myself, why did I keep thinking about it? Was what some stranger said really that important? I huffed and turned over, trying to get in a comfortable position and closed my eyes.

"Stupid…" I whispered, putting my hand over my eyes to block out the light.

My body ran cold. Light…he had meant hope. He was telling me not to give up…that it was alright…

A single tear slid from under my hand. I had been so stupid. This whole time I was thinking that everything was pointless. My world, my home, my mom…everything had disappeared and there was no way I could change that. It wasn't anyone's fault, and I shouldn't hold that over everyone's heads. Sora's optimism and happiness was still there. He still believed that he could see his friends again. He still had his light.

I was such an idiot.

"Faitouru…? You feeling okay?"

I flinched and kept my face hidden as I called out a muffled, "Leave me alone!"

"Eh? Why're you crying?" he asked, rushing in and crouching next to my bedside, his fingertips brushing against my shoulder.

Damn…he saw. I jerked away from his hand and cried, "Don't!"

He froze, unable to think of what to do. I felt horrible. I was so confused. Everything in me told me that I had to tell him, but I couldn't. It was against everything in me. So I merely stayed huddled on my bed, forcing back the tears. After a while, he left me alone.

Somehow I would need to start working myself up to being kind towards him. I needed to make up for letting the darkness win for a while.

Being nice was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Not being nice for most of my life…I guess I was out of practice. But it came so naturally to the spike-haired-idiot (I mean Sora). I resigned myself to studying him. Through the next world, Deep Jungle, I made sure to catch everything.

But in the end, all I could think was that it was impossible for me to be as obliviously kind as him. Somehow, I would just have to show kindness in my own way. Shaking my head, I snuck a glance at Sora a few feet ahead. We were back in Travers Town, now. I suggested we get magic pointers from Merlin and check in with the others. Sora hadn't said anything. Meerly nodded and ducked his head in embarrassment. He must feel bad about trying to comfort me back in the Gummi ship that time.

That made me feel like a jerk all over again. I bit my lip and cursed inwardly.

We made it to Merlin's unscathed and demonstrated how much we knew already (which he was mildly impressed with). I was glad I joined in the training as well. I learned a few new pointers. After our training, Merlin told us that we could find Leon and the others back in the 2nd District.

The stars twinkled merrily as we continued on. It reminded me of Junction. Thoughts of my Mom surfaced slowly and painfully. If only I could turn back time. I would go back to the morning the Heartless came. I would stay home and keep my Mom safe. Then we would go to Travers Town together and maybe started a new life together.

"It took forever to find you, Sora."

"Riku!" Sora exclaimed, stopping in his tracks.

My head snapped up as my body tensed; in front of us stood a boy that looked a little older than me. We were the same height, but something about him told me he was at least fifteen. I stayed back as Sora and the others met and talked with him. I don't know why, but I felt like I couldn't trust him entirely. Something in his eyes…it was like he was looking for one of us to give him a reason to hate us.

But this was Sora's friend.

I noticed the Heartless a second after Sora did. It was rising from the ground directly behind Riku. In a flash, Sora had dashed around and dispensed of the Heartless in one blow. He turned back to us and grinned. Riku seemed to be at a loss for words.

"I've learned a few tricks while looking for you and Kairi, hehe!" Sora said, coming up next to me. "…with the help of these guys!"

"…"he merely stood staring at us. More like glaring, but I'm sure it was just my imagination.

"Okay, so you're coming with us, right? We've got this awesome ship that can take us to any of the worlds! We've already been to some!" Sora continued gleefully. Riku's eyes as Sora spoke became progressively critical. None of the others seemed to catch on to this, oblivious as ever. Piercing, they flashed to me for a moment before focusing on the others once again.

"Don't just decide these things on your own!" Donald cried.

"What? He's my friend!" Sora said, rounding on him. "I'm sure he wants to come with us. Right, Riku…huh…?"

"Where'd he go?" Goofy asked suddenly, his floppy ears swinging wildly as he looked around.

My own eyes scanned the courtyard we stood in. The neon lights glowed brightly in the darkness. He was gone. I glanced to Sora nervously and saw him looking around distressed. We'd just found one of his friends that he was desperately searching for, and now he was missing again.

I shot Donald a look that said, _now look what you did_.

Sora surprised everyone, however, by saying, "Well, at least we know he's okay!"

I could only gape. How in all the worlds, was he able to rebound from a loss like that? I shook my head and trailed after them as they headed for the safe house Leon and the others were staying in.

Time passed and Sora was able to speak to me again. I made an effort not to snap at him, but I just couldn't cut out the sarcasm.

"This world is great!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with happiness. "It reminds me of Destiny Islands!"

Angrily I muttered, "Yeah…sand…great…"

Sora merely ignored me and led us eagerly through the front gates into Agrabah. In a matter of minutes, the heat and humid air made my curls frizz up. I tried taming it, but quickly realized it was useless. It had a mind of its own. I ended up buying a small turban to hide it under. Sora had a hard time keeping a straight face whenever he looked at me. I glared in response and cursed his hair that had miraculously stayed exactly the same.

Turns out a guy named Jafar was using the Heartless to terrorize the desert world and was hiding out in a place called the Cave of Wonders after kidnapping a Princess named Jasmine. Aladdin, a tall, tan, and dark haired guy, insisted on tagging along for the journey across the desert to save her. I don't think he trusted a couple of kids and two crazy looking creatures to save his girlfriend. I couldn't blame him. If I had been in his…lack of shoes, I wouldn't trust us either.

As soon as we got across the sands to the entrance to the cave of wonders, it was a battle. I was getting worried as we delved deeper and deeper and became increasingly worn. Outside the entrance to the inner chambers where Jafar was, I asked for a breather. Sora didn't even seem to notice the multiple wounds he had sustained until I pointed them out and made him drink a couple potions.

"Thanks…you should have one too. That looks like it hurts." He said, nodding to the gash in my shoulder from knocking him out of the way of a trap.

I didn't want to waste any before a big battle so I merely shrugged (which hurt a lot) and mumbled, "It's nothing…"

Turns out, I was thinking correctly. We used all of our potions, elixirs, and magic against both forms of Jafar. Aladdin near the end of our battle was out cold. I barely had enough magic left to get Sora on his feet again. The air felt heavy. I stood taking in deep shuddering breaths as Sora struck down the evil vizier once and for all.

After we reached the place where we'd told Jasmine to say put, he revived long enough to be devastated by her disappearance. Now the four of us were on the long trip back to Agrabah. Aladdin went on Carpet accompanied by a newly liberated Genie to take care of his injuries. The sun had just gone down, and I could feel the cold begin to creep in, chilling me to the bone. I clutched my useless left arm in an attempt to conserve heat and proceeded to trip over the rippling sand.

I noted dimly that as time passed, and more stars began appearing, that I couldn't keep my mouth under control. At first, they were just rambling sentences that threw everyone for a loop, but then it became increasingly apparent that I was just tired. Words now came out in jumbled messes that I couldn't stop.

My arm was now slung over Sora's shoulder as he half dragged me. Behind us, I could still catch a glimpse of the Cave of Wonders if the sands stilled long enough. I mumbled drowsily into his ear, "Sorry I'm such…a burden…"

At first I was referencing how far we'd managed to get, but then I realized that maybe I meant my attitude as well. He was talking to me again. So did that mean he had forgotten what had happened that time in the Gummi ship? Or was he just being kind to me, like he always was…?

"Not easy…I suppose…" I slurred, referencing to the latter thought.

"It's okay, you're not that heavy." He replied, shifting my weight so I wouldn't topple over.

My voice suddenly grew thick with emotion as I grumbled, "No…I'm _sorry_…"

He looked up and caught sight of my eyes glimmering with unshed tears. He called out worriedly, "Let's camp here for the night!"

Donald and Goofy didn't even grumble as they started setting up the tent. Sora took me carefully over to a sand dune and put me down. I fell against it wordlessly. I'm glad he picked a spot of sand where it was soft. His hand found my forehead for a moment before he muttered a cure spell. It wasn't very effective, but it was enough to get my wits about me. I wiped at my eyes angrily before blushing and muttering, "Thanks…"

"You're not a burden."

"What…?"

His blue eyes bore into my own when he looked down at me. I felt like he was looking right into the deepest corner of my being.

"You never were a burden." He repeated earnestly.

My mind wouldn't focus. All I could think to do was tell him what I'd been holding onto so tightly deep inside; my mother's spiteful voice telling me she hated me. The fact that I didn't think I really belonged anywhere…I gazed down at my cut hands and watched as a tear slid from the corner of my eye, down the bridge of my nose, and onto my palm where my Keyblade was held.

"I don't deserve to have this," I muttered thickly, my weapon materializing in a flash. "I'm nothing compared to who you are…"

His hands clamped down hard on my shoulders, but I couldn't look away from the intricate details of my Keyblade. I didn't want to see his eyes. He asked suddenly sounding very sad, "Is that what you think…?"

I could only turn in shame. I didn't think it…I knew it. I was rude, standoff-ish, and unpleasant. Lately, I didn't even want to be around myself. My mind was ready to turn to even darker thoughts, when Sora shook me gently and said, "Just by how you're thinking, it shows me that you care. You care enough to question yourself. Which you should do every once in a while, but...never doubt yourself. The Keyblade chose you…that has to count for something."

As the words passed his lips, I could feel my spirit lifting. Could it be that he was right? I rubbed at my eyes once again, and tilted my head up, a small smile on my lips. When our eyes met, I could feel the truth in his words. Being the Protector was my destiny. I was chosen to help save the worlds, for whatever reason.

After a moment he smiled and said, "We're friends now, so you're not a burden, okay? Come on, let's go to bed…"

I nodded, and struggled to my unsteady feet with his help. Donald and Goofy were finishing setting up the tent, and were now concentrating on bedding. They had laid mine out first, which I was grateful for. I didn't think I could last much longer. Grunting a soft thank-you, I ducked in through the entrance and slowly lowered myself onto my mat. I turned to my side slightly and gripped Sora's arm before he could leave.

"Thank you, Sora…" I mumbled, wishing I could say more.

The question in his eyes softened as I let go and fell back onto my pillow. Sleep beckoned, and as my eyes closed, I barely heard Sora say back, "You're welcome."

In the morning, we started for Agrabah. Thankfully, our health was back up and we were able to make good time. I was too embarrassed about what I'd said last night, that I didn't really speak very much. But I did manage to give Sora a soft smile as we headed out. Luckily, Carpet came back and picked us up for the last leg of the journey. Over the rushing of the wind, I could hear Sora laughing happily.

Aladdin was also looking a lot better, but he was still distraught over the disappearance of Jasmine. He wanted to journey with us, but Donald explained sadly that it just wasn't possible. Sora stepped towards him as we said our final goodbyes and said earnestly, "We'll bring her back, I promise."

Both Sora and I were resting in the back of the Gummi ship while Donald and Goofy manned the controls. The awkwardness between us this morning had dissipated, leaving companionship. I had opened up to him, and he had shown me kindness. The thought of having a friend had been so foreign to me for so long, that I couldn't help but marvel at how happy I was. I was so grateful. If I had known it was this amazing to feel connected to someone, I would have tried making one a long time ago.

"…and then Wakka said he wanted to have a match, so I said 'sure' and totally kicked his butt! But then Riku wanted one too, and-" Sora rambled cheerily from his top bunk, swinging one of his legs over the side of the bed.

By now, I must know about everyone on his Island home. I chuckled and asked, "He kicked your butt, right?"

Sora poked his head over the side and glared at me upside down, exclaiming indignantly, "What makes you think-?"

He was interrupted by a thunderous groan, which was accompanied by a massive force shaking the entire ship. I fell from my bed onto the floor with a loud thud. A second later, Sora crashed down on top of me. I grunted as the air was knocked from my lungs.

"Sorry, Fai!" he cried rushing to push himself off of me. He scrambled to his feet and held out his hand. I merely shot him a glare and brushed it away. When I was upright, I clutched my bruised side and growled, "Who said you could give me a nickname, idiot?"

He grinned sheepishly and shrugged, brushing by me and out into the main cabin. He asked, "What hit us?"

I followed, looking out the windows to the empty space before us. All I could see were stars. Goofy suddenly pointed, "Look!"

My eyes followed his finger and fell on an object drawing dangerously close. The others cried out just as I recognized what it was. A gigantic whale! My blood ran cold as its mouth opened wide. It planned to swallow us!

"Get down!" I called, snatching Sora and yanking him to the ground.

Just before everything was swallowed in darkness, I managed to pin him beneath me. I held on tightly as we were thrown about the room, many times we crashed into objects, but I kept my arms around Sora, making sure to keep him as safe as possible. But I wasn't prepared for every jolt. The back of my head was slammed against a wall, and for a moment everything turned white before fading to black.


	5. Monstro, Atlantica, Halloween Town

When everything grew still, I noticed immediately the overwhelming pain pulsing in my head. Every sound seemed amplified, stabbing unceremoniously into my ears. My whole body felt tender. I could only lie there and wait for it to ebb. And when I gained the feeling in my arms, I noticed that they were empty. Opening my eyes, I searched blearily for Sora. I was lying on soft, damp ground that seemed to be undulating with life. All around, I saw tall pillars of flesh decorated with what looked like the wood from a wreck, and in front of me was a small lake of water. The creature had swallowed us whole.

A head of spiky brown hair in the corner of my eye caught my attention. My arms shook as I used all the strength I could muster to drag myself towards him. I noticed the air was thick as I took in sharp gasps.

"Sora…?" I asked weakly as my hands shook his shoulder gently. His eyes remained closed. For one awful moment, I could feel my heart constrict painfully in fear, but then I noticed that his chest was moving. With the last ounce of strength I possessed, I muttered a cure spell and fainted.

The comforting warmth of a cure spell washed over me, dragging my mind into consciousness. I stirred, my brows creasing as my body screamed in disagreement.

"C'mon, wake up Fai…" Sora said, his hands pushing against me. Everything snapped into place. My arms, secured tightly around his middle snapped up, just as I flung myself away with a cry.

"Get off me!" I yelled in a panic.

Sora merely glanced to the others and grinned broadly. Finally, I stilled, realizing that I'd stuck my foot in my mouth. To get the attention off of me I asked gruffly, "So where are we anyway?"

Donald retrieved from his pocket our Gummi Block and said, "I'm not sure, but we need to repair the ship before we can get out."

"We can't do that until we find the boy that took our parts!" Goofy cut in, pointing over the small body of water to a boat lodged between two fleshy columns. Sora rose to his feet, helped me to my own, and headed out. Once we'd made it through the viscous water, we climbed up on board the crumbling vessel. To my surprise, an old man with snow white hair and a kind disposition greeted us.

"Oh goodness," he said, holding a hand over his heart. "You gave me a fright!"

"We're terribly sorry to bother you so suddenly, but have you seen a little boy around here?" Sora explained, running a hand through his damp hair. "He has some things of ours and we'd like to get them back."

I stood leaning against the railing of the boat shivering, trying to shake off the remaining feeling of dizziness. Geppetto as he introduced himself, was surprised at the mentioning of the little boy, but didn't hesitate to call over his shoulder, "Pinocchio, my boy, come out here please."

To my amazement, a little wooden boy tottered out, shyly glancing between Sora and his Father. The old man knelt on one knee in front of him and asked gently, "Did you take something of theirs?"

"I found it first Papa, I wouldn't steal-" Pinocchio began, but was suddenly cut off by his own nose growing a few inches. I merely gaped as this all transpired.

"It's not nice to lie Pinocchio. Once you start telling them, they keep growing and growing until they get out of hand." Gepetto chided, resting a worn hand on the puppet's shoulder. "Why don't you return what is theirs to them, hm?"

"I'm sorry Papa…I promise not to lie again." the boy said, head bowed. And just like his Father asked, he relinquished the missing Gummi blocks.

"Thank you!" Sora said, grinning happily. "So, how do we get out of here anyways?"

"Monstro only opens his jaws to take in more victims." Gepetto answered, looking forlornly at the roof of the beast's mouth. "I'm not sure of any way to open them otherwise, but Pinocchio might…huh?"

He started and looked around for his son. I too glanced curiously across the deck for the boy that had only just been there a moment ago. Fear crept into the man's eyes as he searched. Then, he cried out, "No, Pinocchio!"

I spun on my heel and caught sight of a Heartless dashing away as fast as it could into the innards of Monstro. They were here too? I asked myself, eyes flashing to Sora. His eyes were also blazing with determination. He called to the distraught Father as he leapt over the rail of the ship, "Don't worry, we'll get him back for you!"

Donald, Goofy, and I followed right behind.

Countless Heartless appeared, slowing us down considerably. Soon, we lost sight of Pinocchio. What were in our way now, were the dizzyingly complex passages that wound through each other. I asked, "Does anyone know which chamber we're in now?"

"Um…looks like the fourth, that bump over there looks kinda familiar." Sora answered, pointing. I ignored the knot of irritation boiling in my gut, and swallowed the anger that wished to burst from me. Instead, I nodded to another doorway and said, "I don't think we've gone through that one…"

The sight that met my eyes as soon as they adjusted in the next open area was to that of Riku pulling an unconscious Pinocchio from the gaping mouth of the Heartless that kidnapped him. Something about him was different from the last time we had seen him though. Even Sora noticed as much. Distrust ran through my body, making me tense as he turned his eyes on our little group.

I jogged forward as Sora stopped to call out to him. I intended to give Riku a hand getting Pinocchio to safety, but as soon as I was only a foot away, my chest exploded with pain. I flew back with the force of the blow that he dealt to me and landed by Sora.

"What's the matter with you?" Sora asked, kneeling worriedly by my side as I spluttered and coughed. "Do you realize what you're doing?"

"I should ask you the same thing Sora." He spat, eyes flashing. "You only seem interested in running around with those clowns and showing off that Keyblade these days."

Sora opened his mouth to retort angrily when Riku cut him off by saying, "A puppet that has a heart. Maybe it holds the answer to helping Kairi…Do you even want to save Kairi, Sora?"

I stood shakily with Sora's help and glared over at Riku. I felt his grip tighten on me at the mention of Kairi's name. He asked, "What happened to Kairi?"

"…tell me now, which is more important?" Riku asked, ignoring Sora's question, his eyes still blazing with cold anger. "This puppet or Kairi?"

"I can't let you kidnap him! Let Pinocchio go!"

"Hmph…then you leave me no choice," Riku said, summoning a Dark Corridor with a flick of his wrist. "I'll save Kairi on my own."

"RIKU!"

As we rushed forward, he disappeared into the black swirling portal, his eyes locked on us. Just then, the dormant Heartless suddenly came back to life and rammed into us. I managed to block its attack just in time, but Donald and Goofy were less fortunate. Sora, I noticed, had grabbed Pinocchio out of harm's way and placed him on top of a platform on the wall.

I followed suit, deciding to give the others room on the ground. I focused on using my magic. It seemed to be weak to my Fire spell. But, at one point, I was taken unawares. Goofy had just thrown me an elixir. At that moment, the Heartless released an almighty roar and spewed a stinking toxic sludge right at me. All I could do was brace myself.

I couldn't open my eyes, the poisonous liquid made them water and sting so much, that it was impossible. I cried out, rubbing furiously at my eyes. From what I could hear, Sora and the others were also having their fair share of troubles and wouldn't be able to help me. Stumbling slightly, I made my way safely to the inside of the overhang that I stood on and braced myself against the wall. Slowly, as I rubbed still harder, I noticed the black fog begin to clear.

The sound of footfall approaching to my left made my heart thump with relief. One of the others had managed to break away to come heal me. I turned my head in the direction of whoever it was and asked, squinting, "How are the others?"

As I studied the figure in front of me I noticed that it was taller than me. I reached out a sightless hand tentatively and felt a rough hand clamp down hard onto it. Panic replaced the relief I had felt. This wasn't anyone I knew. Thinking fast, I called out my Keyblade with my free right hand and swung. But it wasn't my dominant hand, and my unknown assailant was able to knock it away without much trouble. His other hand pressed securely down on that wrist, and wrenched me forward. My footing was lost as my center of gravity tipped forward.

"Help-!" I cried just as I fell into something cold.

At once, all the air in my lungs was sucked out to be replaced with a thick vapor. It was a stark contrast to the chamber we had just been in. My legs buckled and I felt the last of my strength fall away. Where am I? I wondered, blinking furiously. Darkness still filled my vision, but was that because of the Heartless, or…am I somewhere where there is no light?

My lungs struggled to pull in air as my captor wrenched me forward through the Darkness. I blinked again, this time I caught sight of a blurry head of silver hair. I gasped in recognition. Riku was the one who was dragging me through a Dark Corridor. Fear made my stomach twist as I wondered where he was taking me.

All of a sudden, air was readily free again. I gulped it down and collapsed as Riku relinquished his hold on me. Forcing my legs to hold me up was impossible. Every inch of my body felt small and weak. Not only that, but the lack of air made me dizzy. Spots dotted my vision as I lay upon the soft, damp ground.

"This is for Sora…" Riku muttered above me, his foot colliding with my side. I groaned in pain and fell onto my back. Now I could see him. Blearily I gazed up into his face and asked breathlessly, "What are you-?"

I didn't get the chance to finish my question. With another swift kick, I tumbled over the side of the platform we had been on. For a moment, air rushed past as I plummeted, and then I was swallowed by water. Once the shock of falling had worn off, I struggled to resurface. But my arms and legs were still unable to move. I slipped further and further under the surface. The outer edges of my vision were darkening.

I woke to the feeling of air being forced into my lungs. Choking and spluttering, I turned over and let the water drain from my nose and mouth. A relieved voice said, "Oh thank goodness you're alright!"

All I could manage was a wet cough. My savior wrapped his arms around my middle and hoisted me to my feet and then led me over to a chair. On my wobbly legs, it was a little difficult. Glancing up as I sat on the chair, I saw Geppetto shuffling off to grab a nearby towel. He threw it around me and asked, "Where are the others? Did you find Pinocchio? Is he safe?"

I could only manage a nod. My throat felt too small for me to be able to get any words out. His face brightened with happiness at the news, but darkened once again when he asked, "Who was that young man just now? Why was he trying to hurt you?"

I shook my head, drawing the towel around me. I wasn't sure anymore who Riku was or what side he was fighting for. Geppetto merely placed a blanket around my shivering frame and muttered, "No matter…"

When the feeling in my limbs had returned, and my shaking had subsided slightly, I managed to say scratchily, "Thank you for saving my life."

The old man merely waved his hand in dismissal. He then smiled and said, "You and your friends found my son. It was the least I could do."

At the mention of the others, my eyes widened. They were still back there! Maybe even fighting the Heartless! I stood, letting the blanket and towel fall, and said, "I have to get back to them!"

"My boy, you are in no condition-"

I ignored his pleas and made my way into the chambers. My body trembled with the effort of fighting the Heartless, but the thought of the others needing my help kept me going. I managed to battle my way through to the fourth chamber before my willpower alone wasn't enough. My legs gave out, and I fell to the ground face first. The skin on my chin was rubbed raw by the friction of impact. Panting and groaning, I managed to turn myself onto my side before everything completely stopped. Through gritted teeth, I grumbled, "Come on…move!"

A faint voice echoed to me from what seemed like far away, making me start. I heard it again a moment later, this time clearly calling my name. I knew that voice!

"H-here!" I cried softly, struggling to right myself.

I must have passed out for a little while, I thought propping myself up on my elbows. I didn't even realize I'd closed my eyes. Hands grasped my arms and hoisted me up into a sitting position. When my vision stopped swimming, I saw Sora's clear blue eyes gazing down at me worriedly.

"Are you alright…?" I asked groggily, looking him over for any signs of injury.

"I should be asking you that!" he replied, his hand catching my wounded chin. I grimaced at his touch, but didn't move away. "What happened to you?"

My eyes drooped as a fresh wave of drowsiness swept over me.

When I next woke, the familiar dull hum of the Gummi Ship was soothingly keeping me in a happy state of comfort. Slowly, I began to stir as my mind sluggishly woke. I groaned in protest when the light was unexpectedly flicked on.

"Oh, you're awake!" Sora cried, not bothering to turn the light off as he rushed to my bedside and peered at me. "I was starting to get worried."

I put a hand to my forehead and pinched the bridge of my nose in an attempt to stave off the headache I knew wanted to appear. After a moment, I cleared my dry throat and asked hoarsely, "How did we get on the ship…?"

He plopped down next to me and explained, "Well we were fighting that Heartless after Riku left, and then you just disappeared. We looked all over for you, but decided to bring Pinocchio back and make sure he was safe. That's when we found you in the chamber. You were pretty out of it, and soaking wet…after that we got you back to Geppetto while Donald and Goofy fixed the ship. They're safe in Travers Town, now. Geppetto and Pinocchio, I mean."

His eyes found mine as he continued, "Geppetto told me what happened…I can't believe Riku would do that to you."

Me either. There had to be another explanation. People don't just change personalities overnight. Not unless there's some powerful external force. I should know. I'm having a hard time changing as it is.

"Sora…" I began, not sure if I had any right to say anything in the first place. "If Riku is the kind of friend you say he is, then I know he can't _want_ to do these things deep down. He just…needs to find his light again."

The silence was thick enough to cut with my Keyblade. A faint blush crept to my cheeks as I ducked my head. Who did I think I was, talking about these things like I knew what was going on? As I stared at the wall I mumbled, cursing myself silently, "…Sorry."

"No…thank you." He said suddenly. My eyes snapped up to meet his again and I saw that they were shining with happiness. "You're right."

I merely lay there, a little taken aback as he stood and said, "Come out when you feel up to it, we're almost to the next world."

I was in a state of shock. Had I really just done something nice for him? Finally?

After Sora left, I got myself ready for our next World adventure by stocking up on potions and other supplies, excited by the fact that I was finally turning over a new leaf. When I went to the control room to meet up with the others, I saw that they were talking about the newest development.

"Chip and Dale say it's a water world. How are we gonna get around?" Sora asked, pointing out the front window to the entirely blue surface of the world.

Donald merely nodded to us superiorly and answered, "Using my magic, of course! It'll be no problem."

I raised a brow skeptically, but chose not to comment. I had only just recovered from being injured by Riku, I didn't need new wounds. In a moment Donald waved his staff, everything faded quickly into a brilliant white light. Blinking, I gazed in astonishment around at my foreign surroundings.

"Whoa! We can breathe underwater!" Sora cried excitedly.

"I turned us into fish." Donald replied matter-of-factly, just as I turned and felt my own fin move through the water. Auburn scales glinted at me in the rays of sunlight that shone from the surface. Sora also had sprouted a fin instead of legs. When I turned and caught sight of Donald and Goofy, I nearly laughed out loud. Donald now had tentacles and Goofy was a turtle.

"Now we blend in with this world's natural-" Donald started, but was cut off by the sound of a girl's voice crying out from the river canyon. "Come on Sebastian! They're right behind us!"

We ducked behind the brightly colored sea flora (a little awkwardly on my part) and waited. Her shocking head of bright red hair was the first thing that caught my eye. Then next thing I focused on was a group of Heartless bearing down on her and her two small companions. Sora was the first to swim into action. But as soon as we started fighting, I knew it was going to be difficult. For one, they were faster, and two, they were better swimmers. I found myself wrong ways up on more than one occasion. Finally, Goofy managed to dispatch with the last one.

Panting heavily, I glanced over at the girl and saw the question in her eyes. She couldn't know we were from another world. Thinking fast I stammered, "W-we're not from these uh…waters!"

Her face lit up as she exclaimed, "Really? That's amazing! What are your names? What's it like where you come from? How does-"

The small red crustacean by her side cleared his throat loudly, effectively cutting off her birage of questions and said, "Ariel, your Father wouldn't like you hanging about this far from the palace. We should-"

"Oh, c'mon Sebastian, this is fun!" she interrupted, waving him off. "Besides they saved us! We have to be polite and show them around!"

"That would be great!" Sora put in, smiling brightly. "I'm Sora by the way. These are my friends, Donald, Goofy, and Faitouru. We came to help with the Heartless problem!"

"We do not-" the little crab began haughtily, but Ariel interrupted yet again. "I'm Ariel, and these are my friends, Sebastian and Flounder!"

She swam quickly up to Sora and hugged him unexpectedly while saying, "I'm glad you're here! The Heartless are everywhere!"

Once our introductions were out of the way, Ariel agreed to teach us how to swim in her waters. I was a little hopeless to say the least. To Sora's great amusement, I could not stay upright.

"Stop laughing!" I snapped bitterly, still wind milling my arms wildly in an attempt to right myself. But it was hopeless, my fin wanted to take me in one direction, while my arms tried going in the other. He tried to stifle his guffaws, but failed.

"It's alright," Ariel said, taking pity on me and pulling me up right side up. "You just have to get a feel for it first."

Thankfully, she was right. After a few more furious attempts, I was swimming relatively well and able to keep up with the others. And over the course of the time in Atlantica, I grew accustomed to it. But still, I was thankful to leave. I never thought that I would miss having two legs. Patting them affectionately, I lounged in one of the chairs on the main deck of the Gumi ship. Goofy and Sora had gone back to their rooms to rest. I could hear Goofy's snores from here.

"When will we get to the next world?" I asked, noticing that Donald powered down two thrusters.

"Soon," he answered, not taking his eyes from his task. "Can you go wake the others?"

Reluctantly, I complied.

Goofy was hard to rouse from his slumber. I had to shake him forcefully and yell in order to get him to wake up. But Sora, on the other hand, was surprisingly easy to wake.

"Hey," I murmured, stepping up to the side of his bed. The dark lump of blankets he was lying under shifted, and out popped his sleep tousled head.

"What…?" he asked blearily, rubbing an eye.

I smiled and motioned to the slightly ajar door and said, "Donald says we're almost there."

He grumbled, but did not try and fight me. In a matter of minutes, we were all transported to a central courtyard. The town was, to say the least, bleak. I glanced around nervously as a wolf howled mournfully in the distance. Goofy, quivering beside me said, "This place looks scary…"

"It's okay, we're scary too." Donald replied, not at all looking reassured by his own words.

It was true. All of us took after something straight out of a horror story. Donald was a mummy, Goofy a werewolf, Sora a vampire, and me…a ghost. Once again, I wouldn't have legs. At least I was able to steer myself like normal. Sora chuckled and twisted around to take a good look at himself. Now that I thought about it, changing appearance was pretty fun.

Another echoing howl jolted me from my thoughts and sent our little troupe of horrors on its way. This world was no exception to the Heartless invasion. Apparently, Oogie Boogie was wreaking havoc on the town with the intent to dethrone Jack Skellington, the current King of Frights. And with the help of said King, we were able to track down Oogie and thwart his plans.

Once in the Gummi ship again, a recorded message from Leon and the gang was waiting for us. The research on Heartless had proved useful. We learned that a man named Ansem had discovered the existence of Heartless and deduced that they were made when the darkness took over a person. He wanted to know more about their strange power and synthetically began replicating them, placing an emblem on each to distinguish between the synthetic and the real.

"Maleficent must've figured out how he did it to create her own army." I said, glancing around to the others as I chewed on my nails.

They nodded in agreement. Sora muttered, "We have to stop her…"

"Let's do it!" Donald cried, charting our course for the next destination.


	6. Neverland

After replenishing my stock of elixers, I made my way back to the room Sora and I shared. He was still up front helping Donald steer us through the asteroid fields, so I didn't have to worry about my thoughts getting interrupted.

Ever since learning about Ansem, memories of Junction kept resurfacing. My mind hadn't dwelled on my home in some time and I felt my heart clench in sadness. That day, I never did find my Mom, could she have made it out before the Heartless destroyed our house? I wonder if she was alright…?

Flopping down onto the bottom bunk, I recalled my last day. It seemed so long ago now. The images of school, the oak tree by the river, and all the people nestled under the starry night sky rose wearily to the surface. Had I really hated that place? When I had seen the Heartless slowly overwhelm the town, I had felt so powerless. All those people were innocent. They didn't deserve to have their hearts stolen.

Maleficent and her powers over the Darkness were responsible for so much destruction and sadness. So no, I never really hated my home. I just didn't realize that until it was gone.

"What're you thinking about?" Sora asked suddenly. I started and met his curious gaze. I had been so engrossed in my thoughts; I hadn't heard him come in.

"Just about home…" I muttered, rubbing my tired eyes.

Without a sound, he moved to the end of my bed and sat down. Once he was comfortable, he said, "You know…I think I've told you all about where I came from, but I still don't know anything about you."

I blinked. I guess I hadn't told him much about Junction. Our eyes met again and he asked quietly, "So are you looking for someone too…?"

"Y-Yeah…I guess…" I whispered. "My mom…"

"What happened to her?"

I smiled bitterly to myself and started, "I'm not quite sure…the morning everything changed, she told me she never wanted to see me again. I left thinking I'd come home like I always did and see her later. I didn't even talk to her…"

A stinging pain made my eyes well up as I opened my heart. I avoided Sora's gaze as I cleared my throat and started again, "The Heartless came when I was at school. I watched as all the people I knew growing up had their hearts taken. I was so scared, but I fought my way back to my house. When I got there she was gone. I don't even know if she's okay…"

My voice trailed off and was replaced with hollow silence. I sat up slowly and drew my knees to my chest. Sora didn't know what to say. For the first time since I'd known him, his ever present smile had faded, and his eyes filled with pity.

"But ever since I met you, I've had hope that I'd see her again." I muttered. "…your stupid optimism is rubbing off on me."

Which was true; even when it seemed hopeless, he never stopped believing in the power of his friendship. He was my light in the darkness that had taken over. When I glanced at Sora again, he was smiling. I chuckled and continued, "You told me that you had a special place on your island that you and your friends liked to go to. I had one in Junction…"

And I told him all about my afternoons that I'd spent sitting under the oak tree, listening to the river lapping softly against the shore. I was in the middle of telling him about meeting Merlin in the book shop, when Chip and Dale called out on the speakers, "A ship's approaching!"

"Looks like it's coming right at us!"

Both Sora and I sprang to our feet and rushed out to the control room. There, a few yards ahead of us, and closing in fast, was a large wooden vessel. Donald was trying to avoid the hull, but he couldn't avoid impact. I braced myself, while keeping a tight grip on Sora. The jarring force of the Gummi ship hitting sent me sprawling on the ground.

"The ship's been breached!" Chip cried as a swarm of Heartless flooded the cabin.

My Keyblade flashed to my hand. But I was too slow. Two Heartless knocked my weapon away and held me at sword point. Another two circled around and restrained me. Why didn't they just get it over with?

"Let me go!" I cried, fighting to break free. Donald and Goofy were also quickly overpowered, Sora now stood alone, cornered by half a dozen Heartless. A burst of power surged through my being and I managed to loosen the grip on me. I sprinted forward, calling out to him, as I attempted to knock Heartless away. But something slammed against the back of my head before I could make it to him. My legs buckled and I tipped forward. Everything faded in an instant.

The soft tinkling of a small voice that reminded me of a bell woke me. My head throbbed uncomfortably as I groaned.

"Oh, you're finally awake!" a girl cried nearby. Opening my eyes, I peered up at her kneeling next to me, her brows creased in concern. That's when I noticed both of our hands were tied behind our backs. The uncomfortable sting of harsh rope digging into the skin on my wrists made me wince. Clumsily, I managed to get into a sitting position.

The room we were in was very rich in color and style. This must mean we were in the Captain's Cabin. I turned to the girl and asked hurriedly, "Where are we? Have you seen anyone else besides me?"

"I'm afraid you and that girl over there are the only others to have crossed my path. As for where we are, we are in Captain Hook's Cabin aboard his vessel." She answered, nodding her head over my shoulder.

To my utter astonishment, I realized that I recognized the maroon haired girl lying on the red velvet couch. After hearing Sora describe her every detail over and over again, there was no way I could mistake her. Kairi, the girl Sora had been searching for so desperately over the course of our journey lie a few feet away.

I rushed to her side, but froze when I saw the blank look in her eyes. Something had happened to her. And the only other place where I had seen that look before was in Junction. The same emptiness had been present in everyone that had had their heart stolen.

"Oh no…" I breathed.

The girl stepped up beside me and said, "She's been like that ever since I was brought here. I'm Wendy by the way, Wendy Moira Angela Darling, and who might you be?"

"Faitouru…"

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She said, politely dipping in a curtsy. "Oh, by any chance, have you seen a boy with red hair that can fly?"

That can fly? I wondered, shaking my head. After that, Wendy sat dejectedly by the window and gazed out at the stars. But I couldn't keep still with the knowledge that my friends were in the ship somewhere, probably in danger. I paced the floor, checking on Kairi every so often. It seemed like we were in there just waiting for ages. And then, something incredible happened. Wendy made a startled cry and exclaimed, "Peter!"

I made my way over to her and saw a small vent leading into the decks below. She cried happily, "You came to rescue me!"

Just then I heard voices on the other side of the door. A rough man's voice barked out, "Open this door you scallywags!"

"I'll be right up, Wendy!" an unfamiliar voice answered her. I peered down through the screen on the vent and immediately smiled with relief. Standing next to a red headed boy that could fly, were a few faces that I recognized.

"Faitouru, you're okay!" Sora hollered, grinning widely. I was so glad to see that he was alright. Donald and Goofy too looked well.

The sound of a key scraping in the lock reached my ears and Wendy pleaded, "Please hurry! The Pirates are coming!"

Before they could rush off I called down to them, "Sora, Kairi's here!"

Even from this high up, his eyes sparkled with happiness. He nodded to me and said, "We saw her earlier, don't worry, we'll be there soon!"

The door into the cabin burst open, and in walked a man with long black hair and a mustache. His feathered hat, gleaming rapier, velvet doublet, and hook told me exactly who he was; and behind him, alongside dozens of Heartless, stood Riku. My eyes narrowed coldly. I had not forgotten our last encounter. Without thinking, I did the only thing that came to mind, which was to put myself between him and Kairi. His eyes immediately blazed with loathing as he strode towards me. I shuddered under his gaze, but stood my ground.

A bright flash engulfed his hand and a sinister Keyblade appeared. He cried out angrily as he swung on me. It caught me just under my left arm right over my ribs. All the air in my lungs was gone. I now lay on the floor gasping as my side screamed in pain. When I looked up again, Riku had hoisted Kairi effortlessly into his arms.

"Let her go!" I cried, struggling to get to my feet once again.

The Captain by now had vacated the room, leaving his Heartless to do his bidding. Wendy was being dragged down through a trapdoor into another room as two Heartless seized me. And a few feet to my right, another trapdoor was opening. A familiar head of spiky brown hair popped up.

"Sora, over there!" I called, pointing.

He emerged, following the sound of my voice, and caught sight of them. Riku, still holding Kairi in his arms suddenly drew upon his dark powers and used them to make Sora's shadow come to life. This anti-Sora blocked the real Sora's path while Riku made for the exit.

"Riku, wait!" Sora cried, blocking an attack from his shadow. "Don't go!"

I wrestled hopelessly with the Heartless, but it was no use. They were too strong, and Riku had already slipped away. Sora needed my help now. Donald and Goofy as if reading my thoughts, appeared. Donald immediately went to Sora's aid while Goofy began battling the two Heartless that had been keeping me hostage, giving me the time to untie my bonds.

When we finally defeated the anti-form, Peter had gotten Wendy out from below deck. He turned to us with an unconscious Wendy clutched in his arms and said, "Sora, this is as far as I go…I've gotta help her."

Sora nodded and said, "Don't worry; we'll take care of Captain Hook while you get her out."

We rushed out onto the deck to meet face to face with the Pirate. He laughed venomously at the sight of us and called over, "Brave of you to face your enemy. But should I assume…that means you don't care what happens to your little pixie friend?"

With a flourish, he snatched a glass lamp from the hands of a small portly man at his side. He tapped the glass with his hook, and in answer, a wild tinkling could be heard. The same noise that I had heard earlier that woke me up.

"Tinker Bell!" Sora cried in recognition. "You coward, let her go!"

Hook laughed menacingly and replied, "Call me what you will, but I am a Pirate!"

Snapping his fingers, dozens of Heartless, both flying and standing, surrounded us.

"It's time to walk the plank!" Hook shrieked, brandishing his hook at us. A group of Heartless backed us to the edge of a piece of wood. Below us, the endless sky fell away. There was no way we could over power this many Heartless without some miracle. I stood next to Sora unsteadily on the plank and felt my heel slip over the edge. For an awful moment, my stomach lurched as I lost my balance. Thankfully, Sora caught hold of my arm.

"Hold on to me, Fai." He muttered in a hushed voice. It sounded like he had some sort of plan, but that didn't make sense because the only option that I saw was us jumping into the void. He wrapped his arm around me, closed his eyes and pushed off. The only thing I could do was wrap my arms tightly around his middle. Wind rushed up, pushing the hair from my face, and I knew it was the end for us. But then, to my utter amazement, I felt a jolt, and suddenly we were floating. I cracked open one of my eyes and saw to my disbelief that Sora was flying.

"H-How?" I stuttered as we soared higher into the rigging.

"I just believed!" he cried, laughing with glee.

He set me down on a beam and to our surprise, met Peter Pan up there. He held the now empty glass lantern that Hook had been holding and grinned.

"You came back!"

Tinker Bell zoomed around the boy's head as he said, "Well sure! You stuck around for Tink!"

He saluted to us, and then dove down to the deck where Donald and Goofy were in the midst of battle. The small, golden haired pixie flew to me and sprinkled a fine shower of dust over my head. I merely blinked in wonder and disbelief as I tracked her little body zooming through the sky and muttered more to myself than to anyone else, "I still don't get it…"

"Anyone can fly!" Sora said, still hovering in mid-air in front of me."Now that you've got pixie dust, all you have to do is believe."

Throwing him a skeptical look, I closed my eyes and concentrated hard. I thought back to those dreams I'd had back in Junction. I was soaring effortlessly through the night sky over the brightly lit streets. Opening my eyes a crack, I saw that two feet below, the beam that I had just been standing on was now separated by thin air. My head snapped up to Sora in awe. The only dream I'd ever had was to be able to do just this, and now it had come true. Sora, calling out his Keyblade said, "C'mon, we've got a Captain to beat!"

Fighting against the insane Hook was much easier now that all of us had the shared ability to fly at will. Before long, Peter crowed our victory and we were led through the stars to where Peter had stowed Wendy safely away; on top of the clock tower in her home town above a sleepy town to be exact.

I soared along behind the others and closed my eyes in utter bliss. The feeling of the wind rustling my strawberry curls against my skin made me feel unexplainably free. It was like I had been born to do this all along. The river snaking through the dimly lit buildings below sparkled in the moonlight, looking like a silver ribbon leading us to the enormous center structure. I caught Sora's eye and smiled.

Wendy was waiting anxiously for us and took Peter's hands in hers affectionately as we landed on the platform. She smiled lovingly and asked, "Peter, must we say goodbye?"

Peter Pan, a sudden blush turning his entire face beat red mumbled, "Yeah, but we can see each other anytime. As long as you don't forget Neverland that is…"

"How romantic, Ahyuck!" Goofy said, receiving a jab to the ribs from Donald, who then ushered us away.

I made a face at him that I hoped contained the phrase: "Don't treat me like a kid." I then chose to fly after Sora who disappeared around the side of the clock tower. I was worried about him. After Riku took Kairi, he'd been withdrawn. The light in his eyes just wasn't there; which scared me, because that wasn't the Sora I knew. As I came around the side of the enormous brick structure, I saw Sora floating in front of the glowing clock face.

"I've never seen anything like this up close before." He said, not meeting my gaze as I stopped by his side.

Clenching my fist, I muttered, "I'm really sorry we couldn't rescue her…"

In the soft golden glow, his cerulean eyes shone like two precious gems. They glanced to me for a moment before he smiled. But he didn't reply. Instead he started away again. Desperation, anger, frustration, sadness, all of those emotions welled up. I couldn't think of anything but the strong desire to make this right. I called out to him, "You'll find her!"

He froze mid-air, his body rippling slightly as it tensed. Slowly, he turned to face me. Could it be that he held me slightly responsible for losing her? I had been in that room with them. I could have done something more. Lowering my eyes, I muttered, "Just…don't give up…"

The silence was thick. I hung my head and mustered the courage to look at his reaction. His eyes were shining again, and that trademark grin of his was beaming over at me. A sensation of relief so strong washed through me, that I actually let loose the breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

"Thanks…I think I get it now." He said, coming closer. "I was able to fly when I believed. If you do that…you can do anything, right?"

I nodded, offering up my own smile. Throwing an arm around my shoulder he continued jovially, "I'll find her!"

"Of course, you will idiot!" I replied good-naturedly, swatting him away.

The night which had previously held a sort of dream like golden glow, was suddenly filled with a brilliant white light that emanated from Sora's hand. His Keyblade appeared and pointed itself at the clock tower. That's when I saw, next to the two and the three, just above the big hand, a keyhole. A thin stream of light shot from the tip of Sora's Keyblade and a hollow click resonated. All became still again.

Sora and I looked to each other in amazement. After that, Donald and Goofy asked us if we could take a break. I immediately gave my consent. Flying like this was something I didn't want to give up too fast. Sora, I knew, was eager to search for Kairi again, but once I'd given my answer so readily, he chose to stay as well.

Now, I hovered above the top of the clock tower, watching the silver moon move across the sky. Donald and Goofy were lazily soaring below.

"You know, we should visit again after this." Sora called from to my right and below. I swooped down to his level and sat on the overhang, my legs dangling over the edge.

"We could bring your friends…and my mom."

"Yeah!" he said grinning. "I bet they'd love it here!"

The screen in the Gummi ship crackled and then came to life. On the live feed Cid sat at his computer desk and told us that Maleficent was in a place called Hollow Bastian. And if she was there, then Riku must be too.

"Y'know, that place is crawlin' with Heartless. Just be careful, y'hear?" Cid said, rubbing at the stubble on his chin.

"Thanks Cid," Sora called as the feed was cut.

Here we go, I thought as I caught the look Sora sent my way. One last push before we hopefully got rid of the threat to the worlds.


	7. Hollow Bastian

We gazed in awe up at the Castle. On either side of the floating rock platform that led to the lopsided building, the waterfalls that surrounded us rose instead of fell. Sora rubbed the spot on his chest above his heart and muttered, "We must be close…"

A roar from the top of the ridge cut through the air. Without hesitating, we sprang towards the noise, cutting through Heartless as we went. Once we came upon the source of the disturbance, I was surprised to see Riku, standing over the form of a giant beast. His eyes were cold as they flickered to Sora who'd stopped dead and said, "About time you showed up, Sora…"

"Where's Kairi?"

"I don't know, but here…a gift…"

I readied my Keyblade as a tan object was tossed at Sora's feet. I was expecting a new Heartless, but what I saw wasn't anything dangerous. It was a wooden sword. I looked to Riku just as Sora asked faintly, "…what is this?"

"You'll need something once the Keyblade's chosen its _true_ Master." Riku replied, extending his hand towards the Keyblade in Sora's iron grip. It gave an almighty jerk. I gaped over at Sora, unsure of what was going on. His eyes widened as the weapon that had been with him through our entire journey suddenly wrenched free and appeared in Riku's outstretched hand.

"B-But, that's impossible!" Sora breathed, staring dumbfounded at his hand, and falling to his knees in disbelief.

I crouched next to him and placed my numb hand on his shoulder. Riku said coolly, "You don't have what it takes to save Kairi…your part is over now."

And with that, RIku turned on his heel and began heading towards the crooked castle.

"S-Sora," I stuttered shaking him slightly. "What are you doing? G-get it back!"

He merely sat there, still gazing down at the wooden sword in front of him. Inside, I was screaming at him to get up, but all I could do was stare. I could feel the Keyblade's power tugging on me, willing me to follow the new Master, but I couldn't bring myself to leave him. Finally, Goofy had to lead me away, and my world fell apart as he did.

We followed Riku through the dark halls until we stopped in a room with two grand staircases on either side of a fountain. He paused, turned, and scrutinized us.

"I almost forgot about you three…" he said, much to Donald's irritation. I refused to acknowledge him. I remained stubbornly tight lipped with my eyes fixatedly glaring at the marble floor. His footsteps drew closer. I could feel his breath on my face as he muttered under his breath, "I'm going to enjoy ordering you around."

Anger burst from me, and before I could reign myself in, I was already swinging my Keyblade down on him. He didn't move, but he didn't need to. As soon as my eyes fixed on his, it was like my body had been paralyzed. A bolt of electricity ran through me. I gasped as my Keyblade smashed into the floor by his side, narrowly missing him.

"Faitouru!" Donald and Goofy cried in unison as Riku's hand clamped down hard on my throat. Effortlessly, he lifted me into the air. I clawed desperately at his hand as he said darkly, "Weak…"

Dark shadows wound up from his hand and began wrapping around my body. It was like being slowly lowered into ice water. Gradually, my vision was becoming darker. And finally, when I could no longer struggle or feel anything, I slipped into the pain and became engulfed in Darkness.

_You will do what I say…_

_You are my Protector now…_

"Who are you?" I asked the void, feeling small.

I could feel my body moving, doing what it was told by this unknown menacing voice, but I could not see or speak against it. All I knew was that I was scared and angry, and needed to do whatever I was told no matter what.

Something caught my attention. My body, listening to the voice, rose from the hard floor. There were other voices, one in particular was louder than the others, but the dark void around me kept them away. Slowly, I turned toward the enemy my Master needed eliminating.

_…get rid of him_.

I rushed forward, drawing my Keyblade as I went. I could feel my target closing in. With as much power as I could muster, I swung down hard. At the last second, however, my blade merely glanced off a shield.

_Finnish him!_

The voice cried with such ferocity that I cringed inside my body. He was too strong for me. My arms rose and fell over and over again, trying to break past the defense that the target's companion held.

_I am commanding you to get rid of them!_

_You are my Protector with the powers of Darkness beside you, why can you not get past them?_

My body writhed with the force of the Darkness flowing into it. I cried out in my mind. I needed to please this person, but something was holding me back! I couldn't explain it! It was like, behind the barrier where the target was, there was this smoldering…essence. It was beautiful and pure, and could not be reached by Darkness. As the voices outside my body continued speaking with my Master, I could see that light. Actually see it growing in strength! My eyes were clearing.

_Fight!_

_Get to him!_

_Do as you're told!_

The voice sounded almost panicked now. But still his words were laced with anger and malice. My body swung down with my Keyblade once again, but it could do nothing more. The light that was still continuing to grow was mesmerizing.

"…if they don't forget…"

Where was that voice coming from? I recognized who that was. I looked to the source of the power and listened hard.

"…then our hearts will be one. My friends are my power!" the new voice cried, the light blazing intensely.

That power…it was so warm and familiar. I had to get to it. My mind, fighting a way past the Darkness, managed to get control of my neck. I turned my head slightly just so I could hopefully see more of that power with my eyes.

_Destroy him!_

It happened so fast. My mind was slammed back into my body. I could feel the cold pain of the Darkness all around me, but now that I could see through my own eyes, it didn't matter. The pain began falling away as a bolt of electricity ran through me. Sora stood just behind Goofy, his clear blue eyes looking right at me.

I noticed the Keyblade in my hand, still pressing against Goofy's shield which he held against me and asked in confusion, "Sora…?"

Suddenly, the lack of power in my body became apparent. My eyes rolled and I fell. Thankfully, I felt a pair of arms catch me before I hit the floor. Drawing up every ounce of strength I had, I opened my eyes again. And there he was; my best friend, holding me tight against him. I saw the Keyblade in his hand and smiled faintly.

I muttered, "I…knew you'd find your light again…"

With that final sentiment, I let myself faint. I knew it would be alright, because I saw how strong his power was personally. I had seen it for myself. That beautiful light…I'll never forget that.

I woke up slowly; a furious pounding in my head made me feel like it was going to explode. I tried sitting up, but a hand on my shoulder prevented me. I gazed up blearily into Sora's bright blue, happy eyes. Relief washed over me when I remembered what had just happened. His toothy grin was a welcome sight.

Without warning, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and said, "I'm so happy you're back…"

"Me too." He muttered into my shoulder. "C'mon we gotta go stop Maleficent and find Kairi!"

I nodded and with his help, rose shakily to my feet. After what felt like hours, we found her - too late. Riku, a mad glint of what I can only describe as Dark in his eyes, thrust his Keyblade into her heart, killing her. I gaped in horror as he smirked and called, "She failed to notice the Darkness in her heart eating away at her…a fitting end for such a fool."

The Keyhole, writhing with Darkness directly behind Riku, shuddered. The structure that Kairi lay on shook her unconscious form. I noticed that Riku's Keyblade was swathed in undulating shadow. That could only mean…he was opening it! If we didn't close it soon, the Heartless would swallow this world!

"Sora," I shouted over the sound of the building groaning. "Quick, seal it!"

He nodded and raised his Keyblade, but nothing happened. Riku laughed menacingly and called over, "It won't work. The Keyhole is not yet complete…"

"You…you're not Riku." Sora muttered, eyes widening in realization. "Who are you?"

As soon as Sora asked that question, I could feel the air around me thin as it was pulled towards Riku. Before our eyes, he began to pulse with power, and somehow change form. I readied my own Keyblade and placed myself closer to Sora in case Riku tried rushing him.

"It is I…Ansem, the seeker of Darkness!"

"Ansem?" Donald and Goofy squeaked in a mixture of fear and wonder.

Sora merely gritted his teeth and called, "Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!"

"First you must give the Princess back her heart." Ansem replied, his amber eyes blazing like two fires. "The Keyhole cannot be completed so long as the last Princess of Heart still sleeps."

I wasn't sure if this was some sort of trick. How could Sora have Kairi's heart?

Another enormous shudder ran throughout the castle. I stumbled, my head snapping up to look at the Keyhole. It was pulsing now, waiting to erupt out of control. The Darkness was close to escaping. But what could we do? If it was true that Kairi's heart was inside Sora, then the Keyhole couldn't be closed. Almost as an answer to my questions Ansem threw down the Keyblade Riku had been carrying.

"This Keyblade holds the power to unlock people's hearts…" he called down, an evil smirk turning up the corners of his mouth as he stepped back into a Dark Portal.

Sora tried stopping him, but it was too late. He was gone. I glanced to Donald and Goofy, worry knitting my brows together. I turned back to Sora, intending to ask what we should do, when I caught sight of him holding the Keyblade Ansem left. He was looking down at it sadly. And I knew what he was going to do.

For a moment, time slowed down. As I started rushing towards him, he looked over and caught my eye. Smiling widely he said, "You guys handle the rest…"

In one fluid movement, with no hesitation, he raised the Keyblade and pierced his heart. It was like he'd done it to me. I felt like I was ripping in two. I staggered, my pace slowing. I wouldn't get to him in time to catch him as he fell.

Another voice chimed in with the rest of us, and in a second, Kairi now awake sprinted forward and caught Sora in her arms. But to everyone's astonishment, he instantly burst into a thousand tiny little glowing orbs of light. All the breath in my lungs disappeared.

"H-he can't be…" I breathed, watching as the lights drifted and died away.

"No," Kairi cried, holding her arms close to her desperately. "I can still feel him here!"

"The Keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose." A deep voice called from atop the structure surrounding the Keyhole. "Now it is over."

I looked up and saw Ansem, now fully changed into himself, gazing down on us. He knew Sora would give himself up to get Kairi back. He knew there would be nothing to stop him now. My hand clutched around my Keyblade tightened in anger. It was as if he could sense that, because his eyes found mine and he asked amusedly, "You think you can stop me?"

No, I knew I couldn't. Not without Sora. Not without the Keyblade Wielder that held the ability to unlock my own power. But, I could help the others by giving them some time to get away. With Sora's smile still fresh in my mind, I stepped in front of Kairi and said over my shoulder to Donald and Goofy, "Get her out of here! I'll hold him off."

They tried arguing, but I merely cut in harshly, "Sora sacrificed himself to save her! He would want this! Now go!"

I heard the pattering of their feet across the floor as the castle shook once more. The Keyhole was ready to burst. Ansem jumped from his place high on the structure and muttered, "Stupid boy…"

He raised his hand, Darkness swirling menacingly around it. I tensed, readying for anything. But he did not strike. Instead, his hand remained suspended. A transparent form was appearing before him, holding him back.

"No, you won't use me for this!" Riku's familiar voice growled. "You've got to run Faitouru! Get Kairi and go, the Heartless are coming!"

There was no time to thank him. I spun on my heel and dashed off. As I ran, I had to dodge and jump around parts of the castle that had broken off and fallen in my path. But, I did catch up to the others in the room where Riku had taken over my body.

"What're we gonna do?" Goofy asked.

Donald answered solemnly, "I don't know, but we can't close the Keyhole without Sora."

"What will happen to this world?" Kairi asked her voice small.

None of us answered. This world, and possibly every other world would be swallowed in Darkness. And there was no one to stop it.

I must have been upset, because I didn't notice the Heartless creep up behind Kairi. I was getting ready to swing my Keyblade down on it, when my eyes met its glowing yellow orbs. My whole body froze. The familiar feeling of a bolt of lightning running from the beginning to the end of me, shot through my body. I gaped down at the little creature in disbelief. Kairi too had turned to stare at the Heartless and now asked softly, "Do you feel that too?"

Donald was growing impatient and wanted to leave, but neither of us paid any attention to him. Instead, Kairi knelt before the Heartless, who still hadn't made a move to hurt us and asked, "Sora…?"

The creature tilted his head curiously as she spoke.

"What? How can that be Sora?" Donald quacked in disbelief.

"I don't know…but I feel it." She replied, suddenly wrapping the Heartless in her arms. She murmured, "Sora come back..."

I held perfectly still and whispered under my breath, "Please hear her…"

To my utter shock, I was blinded by a light emanating from them. When I opened my eyes again, I nearly cried out in joy. Sora was crouched on the floor, holding Kairi in his arms.

"B-but how?" I stuttered in disbelief, brushing my fingers against his very real hair.

He turned and smiled up at me as he helped Kairi to her feet, "My heart is connected to Kairi's now. Even when I was lost in the Darkness, I could hear a voice calling me back."

His eyes sparkled with happiness as he said, "Thank you…"

Kairi blushed and smiled back.

"We finally found you!" a familiar cheery voice called from a hallway to the side of the room. We all turned and caught sight of a group of people jogging towards us. Yuffie waved her arms over her head excitedly as she neared. The group in her wake consisted of Leon, Cid, Aerith, and all the Princesses that had been kidnapped from their worlds.

Yuffie tackled me in a hug and cried, "Good to see you squirt!"

I was extremely happy to see them, but right now we had more pressing matters to think about. Catching Sora's eye I said, "You have to go seal the Keyhole, quick."

And as if it was reading my thoughts exactly, the castle shuddered again, a column cracking and collapsing. He nodded in agreement, and asked Leon, "Will you take care of her for me?"

Leon nodded, gripping her shoulders as she tried to run after Sora who was already heading back the way we came. I followed after, not wasting any time. Thankfully, when we reached the Keyhole, there was no sign of Ansem anywhere. Sora sealed the world's Keyhole and we made our way back to the others. Turns out that after they told us where Maleficent was, they decided to come as well.

"We couldn't just leave you!" Yuffie said, patting me roughly on the back.

"That's great and all, and I'm glad to see you guys, but we need to find out where Ansem went. We have to stop him." I said, rubbing my shoulder.

The others glanced between themselves and finally Leon said, "If he really wants to fill the worlds with Darkness, he'll have to get to Kingdom Hearts. And…that lies in the Abyss of Darkness."

"How do we get there?" Sora asked.

"It lies beyond the worlds…"Aerith muttered, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

"Alright, let's go get him and put everything back to the way it should be!"

Donald and Goofy smiled at Sora and nodded, but I saw the look on the other's faces and asked, "What's wrong?"

More glances were exchanged before Leon said softly, "Once the worlds are restored, they'll be separate again."

"So…we won't see each other again?" Sora asked eyes wide. Silence fell over our little group.

My own eyes sought out Leon, who to me was like an older brother, and saw the pain in his own eyes. When he saw me staring, he offered a small smile and said, "…we may never meet again, but we'll never forget each other."

Yuffie threw her arms around his neck and chimed in, "No matter where we are, our hearts will bring us together again!"


	8. Abyss of Darkness, End

Goofy, Donald and I were waiting patiently for Sora to join us so we could start on our journey to defeat Ansem. We gave him some alone time with Kairi to say goodbye. When he came around the corner, I could still see the faint tint of pink on his cheeks from a blush. I nudged him playfully and followed after Donald and Goofy heading to the Gummi ship.

My shoes crunched slightly as I stepped out onto the Abyss of Darkness. Already it had begun swallowing worlds. I looked out at the wide expanse and saw only small fragments of rock.

"Is that all that's left of them…?" I asked the bitter taste of hatred on my tongue.

"They'll come back once we defeat Ansem." Donald replied, also looking around at the handiwork of the Heartless.

"Well gawrsh, I wonder where he is?"

Sora took a step onto the flat plane and said over his shoulder, "Guess we'll find out."

The journey through this world seemed like there was no end. Countless Heartless appeared to slow us down. A few times, I found myself knocked incapacitated. But still, working together, we pushed on. It was only when we were resting did we see the enormous Door. We stared at it curiously, trying to figure out if it was a trap or not. In the end, we decided we didn't have a choice but to go through it.

"Here we go…" Sora muttered, pushing it open.

A blinding white light poured from the opening, making me throw my hands over my eyes. I stumbled after Sora and the others until I felt the texture of the ground once again change under my feet. Blearily, I peered around at our new surroundings. It was a tropical beach, full of brightly colored foliage. But something wasn't right. The pale sand ended abruptly, and from it, extended a span of nothingness.

"This is-" Sora spluttered in disbelief. "This is my Island!"

I made to put my hand on Sora's shoulder, but a deep voice made me spin around and call out my Keyblade instead.

"This world has been connected…tied to the Darkness…it will soon be completely eclipsed."

There he stood, looking out at the black nothing, broken ground forbidding us from getting nearer to him. Ansem, as if sensing this, turned to us. His eyes glinted maliciously as he continued, "To the Heart searching for freedom, this place is a prison."

"Riku!" Sora called frantically. His answer was a callous laugh.

"Your voice cannot reach him where he is." He called, stepping towards us. "His Heart belongs to Darkness. Just as all worlds begin in Darkness…all so end…"

The ground beneath us burst up, swallowing our little group into the black abyss below. A blast of cold hit me, making my breath catch in my throat. Ansem was prepared to fight to the end with us using the powers of Darkness. He called, as we used our knowledge of flying to stabilize us mid-air, "Kingdom Hearts, fill me with the power of Darkness!"

Dark tendrils rose from the swirling blackness and slammed against my chest, sending me reeling. Gritting my teeth, I cast cure and went off after Sora and the others. We battled with Ansem, slowly gaining the upper hand. And as we traveled through the endless darkness, I could feel my body growing weaker. Something was draining my energy.

I looked around, trying to locate the source, and that's when I saw the Doors. Great double doors situated on a floating stone island. That must be the Door to Kingdom Hearts!

"Sora, we have to seal the Door!" I cried, pointing to the floating platform.

He saw the urgency in my eyes. I called for Donald and Goofy to cover while Sora and I made for the Door. We sailed down and landed haphazardly on the ground, making a mad dash for the Door. Over my shoulder, I saw Ansem blast through the others and head straight for us. I skidded to a halt and readied myself. Sora only needed a few more seconds to get to the Door.

He wasn't fazed by my presence, however. With one swift motion, Ansem swung his arm down, Darkness shooting from his fingertips and blasting me off my feet. Never before had I felt such pain. When I skidded to a halt on the rough ground a few yards away, I couldn't get up again. Doubling over as I struggled to breathe, I watched as memories surfaced in my mind. All of them were so dark. Every one of them had been my fault. Another wave of pain lashed at my body making my skin feel like it was crawling with fire. I screamed, unable to fight it off any longer.

"It is futile, Keybearer. Your hearts will return to the Darkness once again!"

He was right. I could feel it already; the creeping cold. It was sucking me in, drawing me away from the light.

"You're wrong!" I heard Sora call from far away. "That's not what the Heart's true essence is at all!"

Blearily, I opened my eyes a crack. Both of them were standing next to the Door to Kingdom Hearts, facing off. But there was something else now. A faint light was coming from behind the Doors. When the beam fell on me, I could feel the cold and despair leaving me.

"The Heart may be weak, and sometimes…it may even give in. But I've learned…that deep down, there's a _light_ that _never_ goes out!"

Sora was almost radiating warmth and purity, and I think…Kingdom Hearts could recognize that. The light behind the Doors was growing.

"Without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts…is Light!"

The entire area was illuminated as the Doors flew open. I held my hand up to shield my eyes and watched in awe as Ansem was literally blown away. His final scream was filled with the anger of defeat.

"That is what really lies deep in everyone's hearts, I know it." Sora said as the last of the light faded.

With difficulty, I got slowly to my feet and looked over at the now open Doors and felt my heart clench in fear. Donald saw them too and cried, "There are Heartless in there!"

The lumbering creatures of all sizes were now turned to the doorway, and were making their way to it; wishing to escape.

"We gotta close it, quick!" Sora called, rushing to my side. He threw my arm over his shoulder and half carried me to where Donald and Goofy were. They were already attempting to push the Doors closed. I situated myself against the other Door, and with Sora's help began trying to close it. But no matter how much of our strength we used, it was barely budging.

My breaths now came in short painful bursts as I slumped weakly against it, "It's too heavy…"

A black gloved hand shot out from the other side and gripped the door, just as a familiar voice said, "Don't give up!"

I looked around Sora and saw Riku. Instantly I knew that this was the Riku Sora cared for. There was no trace of Darkness. His eyes gleamed with determination as he said, "Come on, Sora! Together we can do it!"

An enormous Heartless was nearing. Panicked I called, "Hurry, they're coming!"

Just when I thought my day was done with surprises, another familiar voice fell upon us, "Let's close this Door for good!"

"Your Majesty?" Donald and Goofy squeaked in disbelief as the Heartless was thrown back by a powerful blow from the King's Keyblade.

"But what'll happen to you two?" Sora asked distressed.

"Don't worry. There will always be a Door to the Light."

At the King's last words, I found the strength within me to press all my weight to push the Door closed. Riku said something to Sora under his breath, but I didn't catch it. Finally though, it closed. I staggered away and collapsed as Sora called out his Keyblade. A bright stream of light shot from the tip, and after a second of stillness, the Door made a loud and final sounding click and began to disappear into countless spheres of light.

I lay on the ground, resting my heavy head against the dirt and whispered, "We did it…"

I gazed up at the empty black space above us and saw slowly, that tiny dots of light were beginning to populate it. All the worlds were returning to how they used to be. Ansem was gone. Kingdom Hearts was safe once again. We sat in silence, unwilling to move. Only a voice from behind us roused us from our restful state. Sora immediately ran to who called. I managed to lift my head and see Kairi standing on a small floating island of white sand.

"Sora!" she called again, reaching out to him.

They spoke to each other in hurried tones, their hands grasping together as the little island began to float away. The last of what he called to her drifted over to where Donald, Goofy, and I sat.

"…I'll come back to you, I promise!"

Tears in her eyes, she replied, now only clinging to him with the tips of her fingers, "I know you will!"

Bluish white light began to obscure her as she slowly drifted away. Sora continued calling after her, even though I was sure she could no longer hear us. After a few moments, the light finally engulfed her completely and began to fade into the blackness. Soon, all that was left was a faint blue star among hundreds of thousands of others.

Sora came back to us, slightly downtrodden and asked, "Well, I guess we go search for the King and Riku now, right?"

I nodded, standing with Goofy's help. A path had materialized, branching off from the little rock island that had once held a Door to Kingdom Hearts. One step at a time, we began down it, opening the next chapter in our journey.

When the scenery had changed from a pitch black void to rolling green hills and a clear blue sky, I asked, "Where do you think they are?"

Sora shrugged and said, "I dunno, but I'm sure we'll find them."

I peered up at a stray white puffy cloud and smiled. I'm glad the idiot was still an optimist.

When it felt like we'd been walking for miles, we decided to take a break. I was certainly glad to get off my aching feet for a little while. We sat, either dozing or sitting quietly under the soft sun. I closed my eyes and relished in the soothing breeze that brushed past. When I opened them again, I saw that a golden coated dog was trotting by. I nudged Sora's foot with my own and nodded in its direction once I'd gotten his attention.

"Hey…" he said curiously, scrutinizing the animal. "That dog looks familiar…"

As soon as he said that, Donald looked around and cried in disbelief, "Pluto? Where have you been?"

At the sound of his name, the dog turned towards us, ears flopping. I saw that it had a letter clutched in its mouth, and the small seal on the lip of it was none other than…

"The King's seal!" I choked out, pointing wildly.

When those words passed my lips, Pluto took off down the path. We all scrambled to our feet and dashed after him.


	9. Part One: Bonus Chapter

When I burst through the great double doors at the end of the dark hallway of the castle in Hollow Bastion, I was relieved to see that I'd managed to catch up to Riku and the others. But as fast as relief came, it left. To my horror, I watched as Faitouru crumpled in a heap on the ground, Riku's powers of Darkness leaving traces of swirling shadow around him. I ran forward, wooden sword clutched in my hands, "Riku, stop!"

"Didn't I tell you to get out of here…?"Riku asked, eyes flashing maliciously.

"Not while you're like this!"

For a moment, we stood glaring at each other. The only sound being that of the Castle creaking and groaning ominously. Holding his gaze, I continued dangerously, "I won't leave without Kairi."

"Really?" he asked. "We'll just see about that…"

He raised his arm, which was pulsing with dark power and pointed it at me. At first, I didn't think anything happened, and then I saw Faitouru. Slowly, he was getting to his feet. But something wasn't right. His pale skin looked like what it would in death, his amethyst eyes were blank, and a dark aura emanated from him. My heart thumped hard in my chest as I sucked in a surprised breath of air.

"Let him go, Riku!" I cried angrily.

He didn't reply, merely glanced curiously at Faitouru and said, "You should have cared more about Kairi…_get rid of him_."

Faitouru lurched forward with more speed that I'd ever seen him use before. I wasn't going to be able to block his attack. My eyes squeezed shut in anticipation, but instead of feeling pain, a sound of metal on metal rang out. Opening my eyes a crack, I peered up at who was standing in front of me. Goofy had his shield raised in defense, and was holding Faitouru off who kept beating on the shield mechanically.

"Goofy, what're you doing?" Donald asked, waving his arms wildly from his spot over by Riku.

"Gawrsh Donald, Sora's my friend. I can't just let him get hurt."

"You'd betray your King's wishes…?" Riku asked coolly.

"I guess so." Goofy answered, turning to Donald. "Could ya tell the King I'm really sorry? I'm gonna stick with Sora."

The duck glanced between the obvious two sides for a moment, looking completely distraught, finally he cried, stomping over, "Aw Phooey!"

After the devastation of being left behind, having this happen made my heart swell with happiness. Goofy was still holding Faitouru at bay, so I called over the top of his shield, a newfound determination charging my words, "Riku what you've got isn't true power. I know now I don't need the Keyblade. I've got a better weapon…my heart!"

I glanced sadly to Faitouru, who under Riku's Darkness took another swing. Even under Riku's powers, he looked like he was in pain. I hoped my words would reach him too.

"If my friends think of me…if they don't forget…then our hearts will be one. My friends are my power!" I called, my chest feeling warm.

A bright light engulfed my hands, and in the next instant, a surge of power ran through me. The Keyblade had returned. Faitouru's eyes found mine and suddenly filled with recognition. And as they focused, I felt the last bit of strength I needed to permanently seal the Keyblade as my own. He stood gazing over at me confused as he whispered, "Sora…?"

His eyes rolled as the Darkness vanished, and he collapsed. I pushed Goofy aside and caught him just before he hit the ground. I shook his limp form and cried, "Fai!"

For a moment, fear gripped my heart. But then, I saw movement behind his eyelids. They opened a crack, and let his eyes shine through. I smiled with relief. "I…knew you'd find your light again…" my best friend muttered weakly before fainting entirely.

My head snapped up to Riku standing a few feet away. Still clutching Faitouru in my arms, I called over to my oldest friend turned recent enemy, "Riku, can't you see what the Darkness is doing to you?"

We stared into each other's eyes for a moment and then a dark portal appeared behind him. Smoothly, he stepped back, and was gone.

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy cried gleefully, rushing to my side.

"Help me with him," I said, grinning up at them.

They set to work reviving my Protector. No not only my Protector, but my friend. Without him…I don't know how this adventure would've turned out.

Everything happened fast after that. I sacrificed myself to free Kairi, her voice brought me back from the Darkness, and we went to Travers Town and found out where Ansem's next move was to take place. I promised Kairi to see her again and bring back the Thalessa charm she'd made so long ago before heading out with the others to defeat the powers of evil and close Kingdom Hearts. And now we were falling through the Abyss of Darkness into the unknown, fighting off Ansem and his forms, slowly gaining the upper hand.

I was scared though. Thoughts of losing Riku kept surfacing as we delved further, and Faitouru was growing weaker. He was a few feet away, his eyes searching for something behind us. Suddenly, he caught my eye, pointed and cried, "Sora, we have to seal the Door!"

I spun around quickly and gasped slightly at the sight of two enormous double doors situated on a floating platform of sand. I wasted no time in making my way towards it. Faitouru called over my shoulder to the others to keep Ansem preoccupied while we made a run for it. Landing on the platform, I took off at a dead sprint. The sound of Faitouru landing haphazardly behind me made me glance back. There, just behind us, was Ansem, already by Donald and Goofy and heading straight for us. Pushing my legs harder, I focused on the Doors and nothing else. That is, until I heard a loud crash from behind me. Wildly I looked over my shoulder at the curled up form of Fai. Dark tendrils of Ansem's power curled around his prone form as cries of anguish reached my ears. He was hurt!

"It is futile, Keybearer. Your hearts will return to Darkness once again!" Ansem boomed, his eyes flashing like amber fire.

"You're wrong!" I called back, thinking of all the good things we'd done for the worlds. It didn't seem right that Kingdom Hearts was a place of shadows. It had to be something more! I stood facing off against my enemy, and felt more than saw the true power of Kingdom Hearts at my back. When the beam fell over me, I could feel my body lighten.

Newly empowered, I cried, "The Heart may be weak, and sometimes…it may even give in. But I've learned…that deep down, there's a _light_ that _never_ goes out! Without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts…is Light!"

My vision suddenly went white as the Doors to Kingdom Hearts opened. Warmth ran over my body, and I felt whole and good. Ansem's final cry of defeat echoed in the wide open expanse around us. Relief flooded my mind when I realized my friends were safe from his insane plot. As the last of the light faded from the now open double doors, I muttered, "That is what really lies deep in everyone's hearts, I know it."

But there was no time to rest, Donald pointed out the hundreds of Heartless of all different sizes slowly clambering towards their escape. My heart skipped a beat; I ran to Fai, threw his arm over my shoulder and dragged his weight after the others to help close the Doors. But no matter how much effort we put into it, they were barely budging. Just when I was starting to lose hope, I heard the one voice in all the worlds I was least expecting call out from the other side, "Don't give up! Come on Sora! Together we can do it!"

I froze. There was no way I was sealing my best friend in there with all those Heartless. No way.

"Let's close this Door for good!" another familiar voice called from deep inside.

There, standing atop a hill of sorts, stood the King, bathed in a strange light. Now I couldn't possibly even think of sealing the Doors. Desperately I asked, searching for Riku's eyes, "But what'll happen to you two?"

Faitouru's fingers caught the edge of my jacket as the King answered unfalteringly, "Don't worry. There will always be a Door to the Light."

He was right. Kingdom Hearts was full of hope, and I had to believe that I would see Riku again…and put everything right. And even though it killed me to do so, I shoved my shoulder against the Door and began pushing it closed. Just before, I caught sight of Riku looking down on me, a small sad smile on his lips. He whispered, almost too quietly for me to hear, "Take care of her…"

Don't worry Riku. I'll see you again. We can take care of her together.

Once the Doors were closed, I jumped away and called out my Keyblade, letting its power seal the Doors permanently. The final click of the lock rang out loudly as the Doors dispersed into thousands of tiny balls of light. Sadness and happiness ran through me like hot and cold. I glanced to the others. Donald and Goofy stood, both looking as upset as I felt, while Faitouru lay on the ground, completely spent.

"We did it…" he breathed, closing his eyes in release.

I smiled softly down on my friend, and turned my gaze on the darkness around us. Slowly, small beads of light began to appear, signaling the reinstating of all the worlds that the Heartless had swallowed while the Doors had been open. After a moment, I heard Kairi calling after me. Since the worlds were returning, I guess she had to leave for home. It tore me apart, leaving her again, but I had to find Riku and bring him back to Destiny Islands.

When I finally lost sight of her, I trudged back to the others and asked, "Well, I guess we go search for the King and Riku now, right?"

They nodded, and after helping Faitouru to his feet, we started off down the long winding road through the Darkness. Determinedly, I forced myself to fill my thoughts of Riku and the King and slowly walked along. What seemed like ages later, the void around us fell away to reveal rolling green hills and powder blue skies. The others walked ahead while I carried a still weak Faitouru on my back.

His head rested on my shoulder as he asked faintly, "Where do you think they are?"

I guess they could be anywhere, really. There were so many worlds. We'd have to start looking right away if we had any hopes of finding them soon. Shrugging, and shifting his weight slightly, I replied, "I dunno…but I'm sure we'll find them."

Without looking at him, I could tell he was smiling. He lifted his head, and gently asked me to set him down. I obliged, and we walked for miles side by side in this empty place. We took a break only when exhaustion caught up with us hours later. I fell down heavily on the grass and sighed contently as a soft breeze passed by.

I dozed off for a moment, but when Faitoru's foot nudged my own; I opened my eyes and followed the direction he was looking in. To my surprise, the dog that had been my first encounter with something from another world back in Travers Town stood a few yards away, looking at us with its big eyes.

"Hey…that dog looks familiar…" I muttered, squinting to get a better look.

Donald recognized the animal too and called after it. Turning, we all caught sight of the small letter clutched in its mouth. And on the paper, was clearly stamped the one thing that might help us find the King and Riku.

"The King's seal!" Faitouru choked out, haphazardly jumping to his feet. I followed suit, scrambling after as the dog made a run for it.

But I couldn't help it. As we ran I let out a burst of joyous laughter. Gazing up at the sky, I thought to myself, '_Don't worry Kairi…Riku…I'll see you two again someday. I'll try not to take too long. Maybe then you can meet my new friends_.

Still laughing, I watched as Donald and Fai yelled angrily up at Goofy who had gained the most ground on Pluto. I couldn't think of anyone else to share this adventure with…


	10. Part Two: Castle Oblivion

_I'm looking for someone._

_Have you seen him?_

_I'd really like to find him…_

_So I can take him home._

~O~

It seems hard to believe that only yesterday did I take part in a battle for the safety of all the worlds. It seems even harder to believe that the person that I fought beside, who holds the key to saving them…is a complete idiot.

"Wait…didn't he go this way?" Sora asked unsurely, spinning around and gazing out across the hills. I merely rolled my eyes as he gawked in each direction for a moment.

Goofy scratching his head, called out, "Pluto? Pluto? Gawrsh where'd ya go boy?"

"We just came from that way Goofy! Don't call over there for him." Donald scolded irritably. Goofy merely laughed and apologized bashfully.

"It's getting late…" I commented dryly from my spot in the middle of the cross-roads we had come to. We'd lost sight of the King's dog miles back. And no one seemed to take notice that I was talking. I waited a few more minutes before calling, "It's dark out, maybe we should call off the search until tomorrow?"

This time, I seemed to catch their attention. Sora in particular seemed glad to sit down next to me; arms flung behind his head as he lay back on the ground. After a moment, he mumbled sleepily, "The sky looks really pretty tonight…"

I turned my eyes skyward. It did look extremely beautiful. The entire sky from one side of the horizon to the next was coated in a blanket thick with glimmering stars. I fell back next to him, our heads nearly touching and replied softly, "Yeah…"

He smiled and closed his eyes, muttering a slurred, "I guess we'll find Pluto tomorrow…well, g'night…"

So much had happened in the past few months. It was getting hard to keep track of it all. Thankfully, and I won't admit this to them, I'm with people that I care about. Before I knew it, my own eyes had drifted lower, and I was dreaming peacefully of flying around the Clock Tower in Neverland.

"Wake up, Fai!" came the unwanted voice above me. I glowered and tried shooing him away, but he persisted.

My eyes cracked open and I growled, "Sora, it's still dark out…"

As soon as my vision focused in on his wide eyes, I immediately woke up. Something had happened; I could tell. I sat up quickly and asked, my Keyblade appearing instantly, "What's the matter?"

"I know which way Riku is!"

I stopped short, and turned back to gaze at him in disbelief. I asked slowly, "What are you talking about, Sora?"

"A guy in a black outfit was just here! He said, 'Ahead lies something you need', or something like that. We gotta go, NOW!"

I was completely dumbstruck. I asked incredulously, "Why in the worlds would you listen to some shady guy in black tell you what to do?"

He pouted in response and muttered, "I listen to a bossy team mate tell me what to do…"

"What was that?" I growled, standing up and grabbing him by the collar.

Sora merely shrugged, looked at me and smirked. This guy was seriously pissing me off. I shook him slightly and asked, "What's with that look, huh?"

He stifled a giggle and said, "I'm just as tall as you, now."

"Huh…?"

Blinking furiously, I gazed _directly_ into his eyes. He continued thoughtfully, "You know…I think I might even be a little taller…"

I merely gaped over at him as he disentangled himself from my grip, going over to the others and waking them. No way! That annoying little…_spike-head_ was the same height as me, now? But the closer I looked, the more I noticed that his clothes did look a little smaller than they had a month ago. I shook my head disdainfully and decided that I needed to focus on the more important problem at hand.

"Whatever, I still don't think we should trust what some stranger says, one that won't even show us his face!" I called unhappily, watching as all three of my companions ignored my warnings and packed hurriedly. I continued chasing them around our little camp, refusing to help pack, trying desperately to get them to listen to reason, but nothing worked. Soon, they even had my things packed and stowed and were eagerly starting in the direction Sora pointed.

I huffed agitatedly and didn't move, crossing my arms determinedly I said, "I'm not going."

"C'mon Faitouru, don't be like that!" Sora whined pleadingly.

I merely turned my nose up at him and stayed decisively put. Sora sighed heavily, and walked back. When he stood in front of me he muttered dejectedly, "Fine…I guess we're just gonna have to do this the hard way…"

My eyes opened in confusion as I looked over at him, but before I could realize what he had up his sleeve, he rushed me, crouched, and slung me kicking and screaming over his shoulder. He laughed triumphantly and started on his way.

I was going to kill him.

We stood outside an enormous castle, perched on the edge of a barren cliff, overlooking a desolate expanse of nothingness. I snorted, "Yeah, trust the stranger in the hood, right Sora?"

He threw a glare in my direction before stepping determinedly forward. Donald and Goofy followed after, looks of hope brightening their faces as they neared the gigantic double front doors. Sora muttered, "I know he's in there…I can feel it…"

Keeping my Keyblade at the ready, I followed after, my gut churning uncomfortably. This didn't feel right, but if Sora was correct and we would find the King and Riku, then I'd give it a shot.

"He-llo, anyone here?" Sora called, his voice echoing around the hall eerily.

It was surprisingly light. My eyes had a hard time adjusting to it. I stuck close to Sora as we continued in cautiously. No one was answering. I wanted to turn everyone around and leave, but just as I was about to open my mouth, the enormous double doors slammed shut. I jumped and spun around, my breathing quickening.

"No turning back now…" I muttered, glaring over at Sora who was only now starting to look a little worried.

We continued on towards the second set of double doors, still wary of our surroundings. The silence pressed in on us, and Sora suddenly jumped. I asked, glancing around anxiously, "What's wrong?"

Donald and Goofy turned to look back at us as Sora shook his head unsurely, looking at the ground around his feet. He met my eyes and said doubtfully, "…I just got the feeling like I…dropped something…"

The floor was completely barren. I shot him a glare and snarled, "Stop messing around."

"I'm not! I just-"he began, but another voice cut in, booming, "Welcome to our Castle…"

I spun on my heel and faced a mysteriously black cloaked figure standing with his arms crossed in front of the doors. If he were planning on hurting us, he would have done it when we were distracted. That didn't mean I wouldn't let my guard down. The fact that I couldn't see his face under his hood, kept me on my toes.

"What you dropped…is your memory."

"Wait a second; you're the guy in black I saw earlier!" Sora exclaimed suddenly, pointing wildly.

That's what you got out of that, moron? I thought irritated, rolling my eyes. Instead of dwelling on Sora's stupidity, I turned my attention on our threatening newcomer. I called up, "What are you talking about, dropping memories?"

If I could have seen his face, I knew that he would be smirking. He unfolded his arms, taking a step towards us and said, "I mean exactly what I say, the moment you set foot in this castle, you started losing your memories."

"What?" the others cried.

"In this place, to find is to lose. And to lose is to find." The man continued, turning to stare directly at Sora. "That is the way of things…in Castle Oblivion."

I shivered at his words, but bristled when he took a few steps closer. He peered down at Sora from the shadows of his hood and said darkly, "Here, you will meet people you know, people you miss…I'm certain you feel their presence. Do you want to find them?"

Instinctively, I moved in front of Sora. In the next second, I was caught so off guard by how fast he shot forward. In a split second, he'd dashed around me, and went at Sora, passing right through him. Sora stumbled slightly, clutching his head and asked dumbfounded, "Wh-what did you do?"

The man didn't reply, merely tossed a card at Sora.

"What is it?"

"Hold the card before you and the door will open. Beyond that, a new world awaits. Use that card and press on. You will find what you are looking for, brave Keyblade Master..." he called softly, a dark corridor appearing behind him. I called out, swinging my Keyblade as I ran forward. But the man merely stepped back, disappearing before I could get to him.

When we were alone again, I turned back to the others intending to rally them into busting open the door that would lead back outdoors. But, to my astonishment, I saw that they were actually talking about going along with what that creep said.

"How do you know he's telling the truth?" I asked, pacing angrily. "Sora, I don't trust that guy. We don't even know who he is, or what he's up to. This could be a trap-"

Sora's hands clamping down on my shoulders abruptly silenced me. He said excitedly, "He said that there were people here that we were looking for! He must mean Riku and the King! This is great!"

I gaped at him. He merely smiled and said pleadingly, "C'mon Fai, we have to try our best to find them…"

I blushed and frowned, still not feeling comfortable about this whole situation. The look of determination on Sora's face however…

"Alright," I said after a moment. He grinned that ridiculous toothy grin of his and exclaimed, "Let's go find them!"

He bounded forward, holding the card up to the doors. A light shone through the cracks, and it opened. Taking one last look back at me, he stepped through, Donald and Goofy right behind him. I shook my head and muttered, "Hopeless…"

Once the blinding white light subsided, I gazed around in disbelief at Travers Town. Finally Sora asked, "But…we're still in the castle, right?"

I gaped around at our surroundings and breathed, "This must be the power that the cards have…"

It was decided, that despite the strange circumstances, we should start the search for our friends. We wandered through the empty courtyard of the first district, inspecting every nook and cranny. But we couldn't find any traces of them being here. Sora chuckled as he came to stand next to me, "It's been a while since we've been here, huh?"

I glanced up at the starry sky and nodded. We stood in silence looking around at the sleepy town before he said affectionately, "You know…this was the first other world I ever traveled to…"

I smiled and thought back to when I first arrived here. Junction had felt so small. I knew there had to be something else besides that place, and I'd been right. So many different worlds, and I was lucky enough to explore all of them.

Later, we found a back alley to investigate. That's when I heard a scuttling behind me. Sora seemed to sense it too and we both bristled at the same time. Our Keyblades were out a moment later.

I only barely blocked a Heartless springing from the shadows. Something was wrong. Why did my Keyblade feel so clumsy in my hands? I struggled to right myself, but the Heartless swarmed. Over their dark bobbing heads, I saw Sora's Keyblade clatter away. He was defenseless! How could they have disarmed him so easily? Again, I struggled to push through, but fumbled.

The sounds of fierce fighting drifted to me as I swung haphazardly. Sora must've gotten the Keyblade back! Then, there was a flash, and my assailants dissipated into clouds of black smoke. I stood dumbfounded before looking up into a familiar set of eyes. He tossed Sora's Keyblade back and muttered, "I'd hold onto that next time…"

Sora's face lit up and he cried happily, "Leon, it's good to see you!"

How did I not recognize him at first? I quickly went to stand by them and smiled. It'd been a while. I mumbled sheepishly, "Long time, no see, eh Leon?"

He seemed confused, and looked both of us up and down before asking quizzically, "How do you know my name?"

My jaw hung open in disbelief. Sora laughed nervously and said, "What are you talking about? Quit messing around, it's us!"

But Leon had already shrugged and started walking away. He called over his shoulder with a small wave of farewell, "I've never seen any of you before in my life."

It was a really bad dream. We gazed after him in disbelief. This must be a really bad joke they came up with. I shook my head and jogged after him, stopping in front of him as I asked, "Hold on, how could you have forgotten about us?"

And then an expression that I'd never seen on his face before crossed over it suddenly. A cold glare that made me want to shrink away and hide in fear.

"I'm pretty sure I would remember a group as annoying as yours."

I backed away from his piercing gaze in utter astonishment. Sora called from behind, "Hey, wait a minute, this isn't right!"

Both of them glared each other down for a moment before Goofy suddenly offered thoughtfully, "What if this town is being taken over by Castle Oblivion and those guys in black, ahyuck?"

"So…Leon really has lost his memory?" I asked dejectedly.

"Leon, snap out of it!" Sora cried, rushing over to him and gripping the front of his shirt.

Leon, clearly alarmed by the spiky-headed boy clutching to his front, tried dislodging him. When Sora didn't let go, he grew more and more irritated, finally blurting, "Sora, enough already!"

Everyone froze as we gaped up at him. Sora asked, "So you do know us?"

"N-no, that's…" Leon stammered, looking taken aback. "I don't get it…how do I know your name?"

"So, you don't know him, but you know his name?" a girl asked from the shadows. "That's pretty weird Squall."

She stepped out and immediately I recognized her as Yuffie. His eye twitched with agitation as she came to stand next to him. I watched expectantly as she tapped her nose and asked, "Maybe Aerith was on to something after all…"

She blinked then peered at us a little more attentively, her face lighting up as she cried out, "Hey, I know your names too! Sora, Donald, and Goofy!"

For a moment, I was scared she wouldn't know me, but then she smiled and said happily, "And you're Faitouru!"

Sora and I exchanged confident smiles before Leon asked tensely, "Friends of yours?"

"Nope, total strangers!"

"Strangers? You mean, you don't remember us either?" Sora asked incredulously.

She bounced on the balls of her feet and said, "Why should I? This is the first time we've met!"

We all sighed, Leon included.

"Alright, I guess you'll have to come with us so we can figure this out…" Leon muttered, leading the way to Merlin's place.

As we went through the second district, Yuffie said, "You know, it's odd. I don't know why, but I have this feeling like I do know you guys…"

I glanced up at her walking precariously along a ledge and mumbled, "But you don't remember us."

"True," she answered thoughtfully, our eyes meeting as she smiled. "You're not in my memories, but my Heart knows you, or something like that!"

I glanced over at Sora and saw him looking restlessly up at the moon hanging lazily above the rooftops.

The others, we found out, had no idea who we were, but also knew our names. We tried explaining everything to them, but found it pointless. I almost forgot that this was a memory, it was so real. But after the door we came through was mentioned, I remembered. We were still in Castle Oblivion, not some other world. And Riku and the King were still missing.

After that, we split up and searched once again for the King and Riku. We combed through every crack and hideaway with no luck. I was just heading back when I ran into Leon.

"No sign of them?" he asked softly. I couldn't meet his gaze as I shook my head, muttering, "No…I don't think they're in this town…"

I pushed ahead and caught sight of the others all standing outside of Merlin's door. Aerith, when I had joined by Sora's side said sadly, "Sorry we couldn't be of more help…"

"Naw, you were great!" Sora said grinning from ear to ear. "Leon taught us how to properly fight, and Merlin taught us spells, we can handle any Heartless that get in our way now!"

After a few moments of chatting, Sora glanced around at Donald, Goofy, and me and said, "We better get going…see you guys!"

Everyone said their farewells, but my gaze drifted to Leon standing a little ways away from them. A small smile tilted the corners of his mouth as he nodded in my direction. I blushed and looked away, moving behind Sora. We found the next door in a remote corner of a building just up a short flight of stairs.

~O~

_Beware your memories._

_Believe what you feel in your heart._

_The name's Axel, got it memorized?_

_The light within the darkness…you've lost sight of it, Sora._

~O~

My head was pounding with the force of a mega-headache. Stupid Keyblade-Wonder was being unreasonable. After visiting so many different worlds using the power of the doors, he's getting side-tracked! I don't even think he realizes that he's completely disregarding what we came here to do.

His fists shook in anger as he asked incredulously, "You want me to just abandon her?"

In an attempt to calm myself, I took in a deep breath and held it before saying slowly, "That's not what I meant. I know she's important to you; I just want to think about this. We can't just run into something we're not prepared for."

My heart was telling me that I really needed to get him to understand where I was coming from. So, biting back my irritation, I waited for him to respond. His eyes flashed, piercing me through and through with cold cerulean resentment. After a moment, he spun on his heel and started away from me, calling over his shoulder determinedly, "Do what you want, leave for all I care…I'm going to go save Namine!"

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy cried out simultaneously. But he'd already pulled out the card given to him by Axel and wrenched open the door, disappearing into the blinding white.

"I can't believe him!" Donald cried out angrily, stomping away towards another door. I merely tuned him out and followed after, my head bowed. I clenched my jaw and muscled my feelings down. If he wanted to go running after Namine, then fine, let him.

Goofy glanced unsurely over his shoulder at the hall we had just left and asked, "Maybe we should go after him…?"

"Why should we?" I asked bitterly, my heart feeling like it was about to tear in half.

Donald nodded fervently in agreement, folding his arms decidedly across his chest and said, "Maybe it's time we went our separate ways. We need to find the King, remember?"

Goofy still looked a little wary, but at the reminder about the King, followed after without another question.

Shouldn't we have found them by now? I wondered, glancing around at yet another identical white hallway. Closing the door, I moved to the opposite side of the hall and opened another white door, revealing another hallway.

"Another one…?" I muttered confused.

"Faitouru, maybe we should go back for Sora now?" Goofy asked from the next door down.

I clenched my hands in frustration, my head giving a small throb in protest, and said, "I came here for a reason. And Sora's lost sight of that. Run after him if you want, but I'm not going with you."

I was tired of having to worry about Sora all the time. If they wanted to leave, then I wouldn't stop them. I had better things to do. When they didn't make an immediate move, I strode through the door that I stood in front of, and slammed it decisively behind me without another word.

It seemed like the more I tried finding what I was looking for, the more lost I became. Which door? Was the constant question I asked myself as I walked along the seemingly endless corridors.

"Hello…?" I called, my voice echoing all around me. No answer.

The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly stood up, sending shivers down my spine. It felt like someone was watching me…but no one was there. Glancing worriedly around, I slipped through another door into another identical white hallway and strode away as fast as I could.

Where was I going? I asked stopping and thinking back. There had been so many doors…

I put a weary hand to my head and wracked my brain. I have to find someone, I know that. I glanced nervously around, the feeling of being watched resurfacing. Hadn't there been someone with me? I craned my neck, almost expecting to see someone. A flash of memory came to mind.

Endless night accompanied by the soft glow of two moons. So many nights I'd slept in my special place by the old oak tree at the river's edge. A boy with bright blue eyes and chestnut hair had brought me here. Where is he now?

"Sora…?" I called tentatively; worry knotting in the pit of my stomach when he didn't immediately answer. "We have to get home now! I told mom I'd get you back soon, she'll be pissed if I don't…!"

Setting off again, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I was so scared. The uncomfortable feeling of being watched vanished as I took off at a jog down the hall.

I slumped shakily as I pressed my back to the wall, my legs giving out. I sat panting glancing wildly over my shoulder. I had to keep running from them. How did I get here? The last I remember was a woman with short azure hair tugging me across white sands next to a blue ocean. Someone was watching me.

"Leave me alone!" I cried, digging my nails into the skin on my arms as I cowered. I just needed to get out. Someone was here…trying to find me.

"Please…"I whispered to myself, clutching the spot above my pounding heart. "You have to get up."

After a moment of fierce determination, I'd regained enough willpower to stand. But before I could take a step, I froze. Terror struck me, leaving me gazing into blazing emerald green eyes completely defenseless. The man before me was tall, wearing a long black hooded coat. His head of brilliant red hair was more blinding than all the white that surrounded us. He stood leaning against the wall opposite me, arms crossed. I studied him for a moment, trying to force the fear that threatened to erupt from my throat down.

"What is your name…?" he asked softly.

"N-name…?" I wondered, my head reeling.

"So, you finally forgot."

"Do I…know you?"

He smirked and replied, "Guess not. The name's Axel, got it memorized?"

"Axel…"I stared up at him for a moment before I asked, "What's going on…?"

He pushed off the wall, shrugging and said, "What's the point? If you forgot, it mustn't be that important."

Once again I dug my nails into the flesh on my palm trying to ground myself. But nothing came to mind to reassure me. I spun on my heel and headed down the hall, trying to clear my head of its buzzing jumble of incoherent thoughts. It didn't matter if I couldn't remember. No matter what, I had to get out of this place. After a moment of determined walking, I blinked and stopped short when I saw a man with shocking red hair standing in front of me looking amused.

Fear froze me in place. I was alone just a moment ago! Who was this guy? I blinked, and he appeared in front of me. Staggering back, I opened my mouth to tell the stranger to leave me alone, when he disappeared. Spinning wildly, I tried to find him. My eyes widened as hot breath ran across the back of my neck.

"Behind you…" he whispered. I couldn't even make a sound before he grabbed me roughly, and everything went black.

~O~


	11. NoxeonBegin

~O~

"You don't understand, he still has his memories, they're just…so far down, that he can't recall them." a girl muttered. "I can't erase if he won't acknowledge their existence."

"What're you talking about?" a harsh voice demanded. "Shouldn't the Castle have taken care of him?"

"It's hard to explain, but it's like his mind has hidden them from me." She continued, "I can still go through with what you want...but it'll be harder for him."

"Just do it; it's gotta be right if you want to have any hope of keeping Sora alive."

My brows creased together in pain as my eyes fluttered open a fraction of an inch. Across the room, two people stood talking in hushed voices. Almost immediately, fear gripped my heart. I didn't know where I was, or even how I got here.

"Don't you want to keep him safe?" the red headed man asked quietly.

She didn't reply. The man shook his head, resting his hands on her shoulders. She dropped her gaze to the floor. Her voice was so small I could barely make out her next reply, "Alright…"

The man made a noise of approval, then turned away from her. His eyes fell upon my limp form. A smirk turned up the corners of his mouth as he said, "Looks like you're finally awake."

Once he'd come to a stop by my side, he crouched and muttered, "Welcome to our little family, friend."

He nodded over his shoulder to the girl who immediately started towards me, and called, "No _mistakes_…"

She nodded solemnly and knelt by my side, fixing me with her pitying gaze. I shrank from her touch in fear, trying to force my body to respond, but once her cool skin connected with mine, I couldn't move.

"You will begin anew. Who you are, who you were, and everything else is no more…_let me re-write_…"

The edges of my vision slowly grew darker as she spoke. Soon, I wasn't even paying attention to the words passing her lips; all I concentrated on was the feeling of emptiness that slowly began seeping in.

The bright light was what made me open my eyes. Slowly, they fluttered open, and I noted dimly that everything about me felt heavy, especially my head. The sound of footsteps approaching from out of view pulled me still more into awareness. Seconds later, a man wearing a long black coat came into view. His emerald green eyes studied me for a moment, before he ran a hand through his mane of shocking red hair.

"Do you want a purpose?" he asked, walking around me.

I could feel everything beginning to grow clearer in my mind. It wasn't so far away anymore.

His hand in front of my eyes startled me, but I didn't move. Letters were appearing, forming a word. The man said easily, motioning to the word, "This is who you are…Noxeon, a servant loyal to only the Organization."

My legs suddenly crumpled, everything suddenly feeling very much real. Luckily, the man was anticipating this and caught me up in his arms, smirking. Slipping an arm around my waist, he led me over to the lone chair in the center of the room. I slumped onto it, watching as he stepped up to a window.

I don't know how much time passed before he came back and knelt before me and asked, "Hey, you feelin' okay?"

I raised my head slowly, peering at him from under my hood. After a moment, he smiled and said laughing, "You could at least nod or something!"

Slowly, I nodded. He stood after reaching out and patting my shoulder. I noticed then that we were wearing identical black coats. When he glanced back and saw me starring, he smirked, crossing his arms and said, "Alright, for the last time, the name's Axel, got it memorized?"

I nodded mechanically. His brows knitted together as he gazed down at me. Carefully, he tugged my hood up over my head, so I could no longer see him. Instead, I watched as his shoes moved once again to the window and listened as he explained, "What I said before about your purpose…you're sort of a shadow of your old self. We're kinda the same in that respect. And the Organization takes care of us, gives us something to exist for. You see, people like us are created when our previous selves are, uh…taken. We're what are left behind. We're Nobodies. And you…you're special. But that's all I can tell you."

Nodding in understanding, we fell into silence once again. I heard him pace in front of the window shortly after, but he didn't speak to me. And so we stayed there like that, for another space of uncounted time in silence. I only moved again when I felt the stirring of another presence.

I looked up in time to see a black swirling vortex materialize in the corner of the room. Almost as suddenly as that appeared, another black clad figure stepped from its depths. This new person pushed his hood back to reveal emotionless eyes set into a scared face. He studied me sitting placidly for a moment before asking Axel briskly, "The five traitors have been taken care of?"

Axel nodded, that ever-constant smirk curving the corners of his lips. The blue haired man nodded in my direction and asked, "It was a success?"

This time as Axel attempted a smile, it came out as more of a grimace. The man, however, paid no attention and strode over to me, peering at my face under the hood. Once finished looking me over, he made a sound, then said, "We'll see you back at the castle to hear your report."

Axel nodded once again, turning back to the window. The man motioned for me to stand. I did not react fast enough, for he hauled me to my feet by tugging under my arm roughly. He then proceeded to toss me in the direction of the portal and started toward it without another word. I was sucked into the blackness, the air around me closing in until it felt like there was nothing left. I could feel the man's hand on the small of my back, pushing me on. I wanted to stop more than once. At the last possible moment, I came out on the other side, the pressure around my chest evaporating.

All the blood rushed to my head, and I fell forward, my vision spotting. When I found my feet again, the man gazed down at me blankly before saying bluntly, "I am Number VII, Saix."

Without another word, he started off down the hall. I got to my feet shakily and trailed after, keeping my head down and only concentrating on the hem of his black coat.

He continued, "Each of the Organization members are given numbers when they enter. You, however, are The Protector, and therefore exempt."

This information seemed to be a continuation of who I was to be in the Organization. So far I knew I was Noxeon, The Protector. Protector of what though? If Number VII wasn't divulging this information just yet, then it mustn't be relevant.

We came to a halt next to a pure white door that didn't look unlike any of the others that we had passed. He pushed it open. Inside was another white room, but this one had chairs that rose high toward the ceiling and circled the walls. All sat facing the center of the round chamber. Most were occupied with more black clad figures.

Saix led me to the center of the room, stopping and bowing his head respectfully at the cloaked figure sitting atop the highest chair. He called humbly, "Lord Xemnas, I present to you…The Protector."

I vaguely reminded myself that somehow being this Protector was my purpose, and was important. It seemed to be what the Organization required of me by the man sitting above. Xemnas answered by leaning forward slightly, clearly intrigued.

"I see Axel managed to keep him in one piece…" he commented, peering down at me.

Saix nodded and called, "Yes, my lord, he has proven his usefulness and loyalty to the Organization."

Xemnas nodded and said darkly, "Now, let us witness the power of this Protector…"

Saix immediately turned and walked out of sight. I waited alone, feeling the eyes of all those around me watching my every move. I kept my head down until the sound of returning footfalls entered the room. Xemnas called down, his voice echoing powerfully off the high ceiling, "Number XIII…we call you to this council for the purpose of demonstrating the power of the Keyblade Master."

Saix had already moved away, making a beeline for one of the empty chairs. That left only XIII and me in the center of the ring. The person looked from Xemnas to me and back again before asking unsurely, "You want me to fight him? But…isn't he one of us…?"

Xemnas answered simply, "Some are not as they appear."

The boy took a cautious step back, a white light engulfing his hand. There, now clutched tightly, was what looked like a giant key. I could feel the power radiating from him. I could only stare down at it. I'm not sure what's going on…

"Let the battle begin!" Xemnas called raising his arms high.

The boy lunged, his Keyblade slashing at my middle in a sidestroke. Without thinking, I managed to dodge in time. I landed a few feet away, and stood motionless. My opponent was not fazed; he rushed me again, this time swinging high. Going with what my instincts told me to do, I threw my hands up.

From under my hood I saw a blinding flash of light. In the next second, I felt my hand clutching something tightly, and another second after that, XIII's weapon came down. There was a clang of metal on metal, and then silence. I blinked and looked up. In my own hand was a giant key, however, it was different from the other boy's. It was a deep purple, swirling intricately around and around encasing my hand protectively.

XIII seemed unsure of what to do next and glanced up at Xemnas questioningly, receiving a nod of approval. He shoved me away, coming at me strong and fast once again. I dodged, pivoting and lashing out with my own weapon. I grazed his shoulder, earning a small cry. The boy was just preparing to strike back when Xemnas called amusedly, "Enough!"

We both froze. XIII appeared to be unsure of what the point of this was, which was stupid. If Xemnas told us to do something it was our duty to fulfill it. Our leader made a small movement with his hand, and Saix leaped effortlessly back down to us. I cringed slightly when his hand fell heavily on top of my head. But he merely tugged my hood back from my face. I stared at the ground, not moving. He took a fistful of my strawberry curls and growled, "Look at him…"

He effectively directed my gaze to XIII who still stood rooted to the spot in front of me. For a moment, nothing happened. And then Saix called to XIII, "You must look into his eyes..."

There was a flash of cerulean in the shadows of the boy's hood, and it felt as though my entire body had been doused in electricity. I gaped over at him, not able to move or think or breathe. Feeling like this seemed impossible, and I questioned what was going on for the first time since existing. Saix released me and looked to Xemnas once again, who leaned back in his chair, pressing the tips of his fingers together in thought. After a moment, he made another move with his hand and Saix disappeared. Once again, it was only me and XIII in the center of the room, unable to look away from each other.

"Continue…" Xemnas murmured.

XIII shook his head forcefully, breaking the contact between us and readied for another attack. But something was different. I gazed at him questioningly and realized that I didn't want to hurt him at all. For the next space of time, we fought. He attacked relentlessly, growing more and more frustrated as time passed and I didn't strike back. Finally, we heard the sudden clap of hands from above us.

We both stilled, breathing heavily, weapons still drawn. Xemnas called, "Let us see what you shall do when another factor is added."

He snapped his fingers, and a large man jumped down, a giant spear materializing by his side. Without warning, it flew directly at XIII. He made to deflect, but the spear suddenly multiplied, catching him off guard; only barely able to dodge in the end. The last spear that went careening by came so close to grazing his side that I saw the fabric catch against the edge of the blade.

Once again, my body moved on its own accord, a fire suddenly engulfing every inch of me. The man was lunging now, spear poised directly at the center of XIII's chest who was still trying to recover. Without thinking, I sprinted between them, blocking the spear with my Keyblade, and catching his arm with my right hand. A split second later, and I felt my ribs burst with pain. I glanced down and saw XIII's weapon still connected to my side.

With as much strength as I could muster, I shoved the stunned man's spear away, and with a cry, swung back around and under his arm. He managed to duck out of the way at the last second, springing a few feet away. I staggered slightly, but didn't move from my defensive position in front of XIII.

All was silent for a moment as what just happened processed. I merely glared over at the man, readying myself for another attack. That was when a deep chuckle rang out. I chanced a look up and saw Xemnas; his hood now pushed back, a sparkle of delight in his amber eyes. Those eyes set against dark skin and shining silver hair were something that didn't belong. Calculating, cold, and burning with something so sinister, that I had to avert my gaze.

"Excellent! Xaldin, that's enough…" he called, directing the last statement at the man with the spear.

In a matter of seconds, all the other figures and Xemnas had surrounded me.

"Forgive the rude introduction. We had to make sure…" Xemnas explained. I merely stared up at him blankly. "I am Xemnas…leader of Organization XIII."

I nodded respectfully, wincing and clutching my throbbing ribs. One by one, other members introduced themselves until XIII was the only one left. But he didn't look at me; instead, he turned to the others and asked, his fists clenched, "Who is he? Why did you make me-…why did I have to-"

Xemnas' eyes flashed dangerously down at the boy, saying evenly, "He is essential in the plan. If Kingdom Hearts is to be reachable, we need him. That is all you need to know."

The boy stiffened, and then muttered quickly, "Excuse me…"

He then pushed past the others, walking briskly to the exit. All stood in silence until the sound of his footsteps faded. Xemnas, still visibly displeased by the boy's actions muttered something under his breath to Saix and went to sit high atop his throne once again. Saix in turn ordered two of the others, Demyx and Luxord to escort me to my room. They immediately came forward, and started to usher me to the exit.

My mind by now had completely shut down. I only concentrated on keeping my legs moving in the direction the others wanted me to go in.

When I woke, it was to the sound of someone rapping on my door. I tried sitting up, but winced as pain shot up from my ribs. I shook my head, gritted my teeth, and forced myself to rise up. However, before I could make it onto my feet, the door swung open, and on the other side stood Axel, grinning down at me.

"Long time no see, eh newbie?"

He strode in eagerly glancing around at my room, nodding his approval. After a moment, he turned to me, taking in the cuts and bruises. He motioned to them and asked, "So they did a number on ya?"

I made no move to answer. Instead I settled with starring at the floor. He sighed, resting against the desk on the wall opposite my bed and said, "Listen, you're important, that's why you're still around... With that being said, they told me to come tell you you're going on your first mission."

He reached over and took up my long black coat, tossing it next to me on the bed. Offering up a smile, he strode back to the still open door, calling over his shoulder chuckling slightly, "Hurry up, Saix doesn't like to have to wait!"

Standing, I gently slipped the coat on, careful of my still aching side, and took off after Axel. Compared to the last place I remembered being, it was like complete opposites out here in this hall. I must've passed out yesterday. It was so dark; I had a hard time seeing Axel. If it weren't for his bright red hair, I would've been lost. After a few minutes of walking in the dark, we came upon a well lit room, where Organization members sat lounging on the couches or stood talking.

Saix stood over by the large floor-to-ceiling windows. Axel nudged me in his direction.

"Protector, your mission will be with Roxas today. Learn our ways, and then report back." Saix commanded bluntly, our eyes only meeting for the briefest of seconds. I looked around for this Roxas. Axel merely hooked his finger in the back of my hood and tugged me away, muttering, "He's not here yet, squirt."

We waited in the corner of the room, watching the other members as they came and went. Finally, a spiky blonde haired boy appeared. Axel caught his eye and waved him over. When he was a few feet away, he noticed me standing beside Axel, and stopped short.

Bright blue eyes caught mine instantly. He asked Axel, our gaze not breaking contact, "What's he doing here?"

"Aw, c'mon Rox! Don't sound so disappointed to see your Protector!" Axel laughed, throwing his arm chummily around my shoulder.

So this is who I was to watch over. Roxas blushed and muttered something under his breath. I didn't catch what it was but Axel answered with, "All in due time, buddy!"

Silence fell between us as Roxas blushed in embarrassment, Axel grinned like an idiot, and I stood pinned awkwardly to his side. Trying to break the tension, Axel shook me slightly and asked loudly, "Are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna introduce yourself?"

I was perfectly content with just standing there. But before I knew it, Axel ruffled my hair, and elbowed me encouragingly. He smirked and said, "Don't be shy."

Roxas' eyes lifted to meet mine once again, growing wide. My brows knitted together before I muttered, "Noxeon…"

"Alright, now that that's over with, let's get started on some missions!" Axel exclaimed, clapping his hands together decisively. He reached down, grabbing my hood once again, and tugged me along behind him. As we passed Roxas, he snatched him up in the same manner.

In a matter of minutes, Roxas and I stood in front of our own dark corridor. I hesitated, remembering what happened when Saix brought me through the last one. Roxas seemed to notice and raised his brow at Axel who was preparing for his own mission.

They shared a short whispered conversation, Roxas looking increasingly worried. With much encouragement, Roxas finally agreed to lead me through.

It was just like it had been before. As soon as I set foot in the black swirling void, it felt like all the air was being squeezed out of me. I struggled with putting one foot in front of the other, but Roxas' hand on the small of my back kept me centered. When I burst out on the other side, I fell, coughing and gasping. Slowly, my vision cleared, and I was able to realize whose arms I was lying in. I don't know why, but my chest felt like it was being constricted once again. I pushed a worried Roxas away and got to my feet.

"Are you okay, now…?" he asked unsurely.

I nodded, not meeting his gaze, bothered by the uncomfortable warmth in my cheeks. We stood facing each other in silence, the strain mounting until finally he cleared his throat and muttered, "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday…"

I merely gazed over at him blankly before he continued, "They didn't tell me anything before I got in. I…I didn't know who you were."

Why did he even care about that? He was ordered to fight against me, and he did. Both of us were just doing our duty; nothing to apologize for. I reached up and drug my hood up over my head, making no effort to answer him. After a moment of tense silence, he cleared his throat and motioned down the street while muttering, "Saix wanted me to show you how we work, so follow me…"

He led me through the golden tinged city until we came upon a group of little black creatures. I stared at them, trying to figure out what they were. Roxas, seemingly hearing my thoughts said, "Those are Heartless. It's our mission to get rid of them so Kingdom Hearts will grow."

We worked together to defeat them. I watched in silence as the last disappeared into a wisp of black smoke, releasing a small heart into the sky. Roxas continued, as we moved through the streets, to inform me all about our ultimate mission and what our part was. I found out that his being the Keyblade Weilder was special. Only he could release the ultimate power of Kingdom Hearts. And without either, we would have nothing but our empty shells to live with.

When the Heartless finally grew scarce, Roxas began leading me to where our dark corridor was. However, he did not turn to return to the Castle like I thought he would. Instead he continued past it. Maybe there was one more task for us to accomplish before reporting in?

We came upon a clock tower sitting atop a train station nestled at the acropolis of the town. My head tilted up so I could take in just how tall the structure was. The topmost tower was barely visible to me. Roxas motioned for me to follow soundlessly as he strode around the side of the building to a hidden staircase.

Once we had ascended and reached a wide ledge, he sat down, dangling his feet over. I didn't understand what this had to do with our mission for the Organization. I merely stood unsurely, gazing down at Roxas' still form.

"You can sit Noxeon. We're not going back for a little while." He muttered, still gazing out across the town.

He was my superior, and the person that I was supposed to look after, and I should have no right to question what his actions were, but an overwhelming sensation rushed through my body. I started at the sudden feeling, trying to place what my other self would have been going through. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth as blurry figures ran through my mind. A voice rose from the fog. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I could recognize the feeling it gave me; irritation.

"…Why…?" I managed to ask finally, biting the question out as my body was still filled with the sensation of the feeling.

He turned to look at me and seemed to realize that I wasn't acting normal. His eyes widened as he got back to his feet and stared at me open mouthed. A mixture of confusion, embarrassment, and other unnamed emotions ran between us thick in the air. All I could do was stand and try to fight back whatever was going on inside me.

"Th-the others and I meet up here to hang out," Roxas offered suddenly, motioning awkwardly to the overhang beside us.

But that was just…stupid. Our objective in the Organization was to obtain our missions, go out and execute them, and then return to the castle for the next. What purpose did "hanging out" serve for Xemnas or the others? It was then that realization washed over me. I did not like this Keyblade Weilder, XIII. There must be something wrong with him.

Unable to form a proper answer, I backed away from him, shaking my head slightly. Then I just stood there, listening to the light wind pass by and the town far below. Roxas, after realizing that I wasn't going to speak or leave, sat down once again. Neither of us moved nor spoke until another black cloaked figure emerged onto the terrace.

"Oh, Xion, there you are! Where's Axel?"

The girl paused beside me and looked in my direction curiously before taking a seat next to XIII and answering, "He RTC'd to give a report and debrief on our newest addition again. He told me to tell you that ice cream was on him next time."

"It better be." Roxas grumbled. "I've gotten it for the past few times."

The girl, Xion took from a bag next to her two wrapped items. They were bright blue. Roxas graciously took one from her and carefully removed the clear packaging. He took a bite from the top tip of the azure treat, and gazed once again out across the horizon. It took me a moment to realize that the girl was offering the other to me.

I blinked, but did not move. She merely continued holding it out. But it was not like she was trying to force it on me. I could see in her eyes that she could care less if I took it. What she was looking for was something in my face. She was studying me silently; coldly.

"Its ice cream," Roxas called, noticing that I wasn't accepting the offering. "It's really good."

I couldn't bring myself to take it; this whole meeting on top of this clock tower seemed strange and a waste of time. Suddenly feeling tired, I turned from the outstretched ice cream, and went to the far side of the clock tower. I had thought of leaving and going to the dark corridor by myself, but then I realized that I wouldn't be able to go through alone. In such a case, I chose to separate myself from them as much as possible and try to sort through my thoughts.


	12. This Feeling

"Noxeon…Noxeon…wake up, we're going back to the castle."

Roxas' voice was surprisingly gentle as he shook me awake. I opened my eyes and saw that he knelt beside me on the roof of the clock tower. The sky behind him was still as warm and multicolored as it had been before, but now the hues were an even richer color. My sleepy mind was still slow to understand what he was trying to say to me, but I did manage to blink and look around a little.

"Xion…?" I muttered, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

"She already went back. Come on, let me help you…" he said, linking our arms together.

My face took on this strange quality that I can only describe as being uncomfortable. It was close to anger, but then again, not anywhere near it. Neither of us spoke as we walked back to the Dark Corridor. The tension between us hung in the air like an axe, ready to fall at any moment. Even when we were back at the swirling portal and placed a hand on the small of my back to guide me through, we remained quiet. Only as we stepped in, did I make any noise.

The now familiar feeling of being drained of my energy by this cold wave of power slammed into me. I wanted to fall to my knees, to never breathe again, but Roxas pushed me on. We emerged in the Gray Area where we started out previously. Once again, I fell forward, gasping as the air was forced back into my lungs. As I felt Roxas' arms holding me steady, I asked myself, "Who am I really?"

The next day I woke feeling drained. I couldn't understand why though. Ignoring my many inner questions once again, I sat up in bed and rubbed my tired eyes. I glanced at the clock on the opposite wall and saw that I hadn't slept for very long; a few hours at the most. Going back to sleep however, did not seem possible. My mind was wide awake.

After a moment, I made the decision to explore the Castle. It was dark in the halls leading from the Organization member's chambers, but once I reached the Hall of Empty Melodies, it brightened. Hardly any sound aside from the soft tap, tap of my shoes against the smooth floor could be heard.

"What do you think you're doing here, Protector?" a deep, harsh voice asked from behind me.

My body stiffened as I felt something sharp prod my back. Slowly, I turned and peered over my shoulder at Number II, Xigbar. The scar on the left side of his face was twisted as a smirk turned up the corners of his mouth. I'm sure he meant to give me a smile, but the look in his eyes clearly spelled, "danger". When I didn't respond right away, he dug the tip of his Arrowgun into my back and growled, "You know…it's stupid to wander off. Who knows what could happen?"

I winced in pain as the blade dug into my back, but stood my ground. I said quietly, "I can…take care of myself…"

"That may be," he hissed, his exposed eye flashing. "But what you've got to remember is that your only obligation is to protect XIII, nothing more, got that?"

He strode up, his face mere inches from my own, and grasped the front of my coat forcefully and said, "Do that, and I won't have to kill you…"

I jerked away from him, but held my tongue - he was still my superior after all. We glared at each other for a moment before he made a sound and spun on his heel away from me. For a moment, I stood leaning against the wall, trying to gather my thoughts after what just transpired. Why did I get the feeling that no one trusted me around here? Was this part of beginning with the Organization? Not like it mattered, but…it would be nice to know what the hell was going on.

Deciding that my exploration of the Castle was at its end, I dejectedly turned and made my way back to my room to wait for someone to tell me I could leave; turned out that someone would be Roxas. He still looked wary of me, but not…mistrusting like the others. As we walked along the black hallway to the gray area where Saix would give us our mission, I asked softly, "Why do you…care so much?"

He started and paused, his brows shooting together quizzically. I also came to a stop and continued, "…about what I think of you?"

My questions seemed to confuse him as much as they were confusing me. And now as I waited for his answer, I noticed that I was nervous. I was afraid, I think. If he told me it was to keep an eye on me, then I would be alone in this place; a no one amongst the nobodies.

"Well, you're…you're one of us." he answered tensely, as if he were afraid I would call him a liar for saying so.

I did not realize how tense I'd become until I let out the breath of air I'd been holding in. Nodding, I began again down the hall. New questions were rising now that one had been answered. What did the others know that Roxas didn't? Could this be some sort of trick? The light from the Gray Area stirred me from my ponderings. I was surprised to see the room empty except for Saix, who looked like he wanted to get this over with. Roxas was the one that addressed him, thankfully.

"Your mission today is to investigate two new worlds. The first is home to who we shall refer to as 'The Beast'. The second is an arena of sorts. Study the layout, and then report back." Saix muttered, fixing us with a cold blank stare.

Both of us nodded and turned to the Dark Corridor that sprang up. Looking at it made my stomach twist. But when I saw Roxas' pitying eyes trained on me, I pushed past my apprehension and walked in. The air was pulled from my lungs and I felt my legs weaken, but I was determined to get through without the Keyblade Master's 'assistance'. Maybe if I showed the others that I could, they would learn to respect and trust me.

The shock of emerging on the other side was just as great as it had been, but this time I managed to prop myself up on hands and knees. Roxas was courteous enough to not touch me or say anything while I re-adjusted. If he had, I might have ended up losing my control and hit him. When my head stopped spinning, I looked around at the courtyard we stood in. Beneath an impressive gothic castle, the moon shone down on dozens of large stone statues scattered around us, some toppled or missing pieces. I turned and caught sight of the front double doors and saw the chains sealing it off.

"How do you think we get in?" I asked softly, scanning the area for any secondary entrance.

"Hey Noxeon…?"

Roxas stood a few feet away, half of a crumbled gargoyle's face lying beside him, eyes blazing as he continued, "Can we…start over?"

My brows shot up in question as he continued hastily, "I think we got off on the wrong foot, and something tells me that I…want to be your friend."

My initial response was to tell him there was no point, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to say it. Wasn't this what I had been wanting; acceptance? What did it matter where it came from? I could feel my face grow warm as I began mentally shoving all that had happened between us far into the recesses of my mind, and slowly nodded my head. Roxas seemed to notice, a blush of his own turning his cheeks a pale pink. He coughed and pointed over my shoulder, "Looks like there might be a way to get in up there…"

"Right," I murmured, ducking my head as I swept past him. I was glad he was behind me, that way; I could smile to myself without him noticing.

After some maneuvering through the virtual crack in the wall and dropping to the ground, we found ourselves in a grand entrance hall. Throughout, we took our time slipping from shadow to shadow unnoticed, taking in all the surroundings until we found ourselves in the west wing of the Castle, having just snuck past a patrolling candelabrum. It was dark, but not enough that we couldn't see.

"Have you ever wondered why we're sent to collect Hearts?" Roxas whispered suddenly as we ascended a flight of stairs leading away from the "guard". "Or why we have to find the master of this castle?"

I barely knew anything about what the Organization wanted out of me or for that matter him.

"All I know is that I'm supposed to protect you." I answered quietly, slipping past a moonlit window.

We paused outside of what I assumed to be "The Beast's" room. He fixed me with his cerulean eyes and asked, "They didn't tell you _anything_?"

My pride stung a bit at the tone his voice took, but he seemed genuinely concerned that I had not been given the whole story. I brushed that off however and peered in through the crack in the door. Inside it looked like it had been ransacked by a rampaging wild animal. Overturned furniture, huge claw marks, tapestries in tatters, and so on littered the floor making the large room look smaller than it really was. Near the rear of the room, silhouetted against tall windows, was the misshapen contour of an enormous creature. From where I stood, I could not tell if that was in fact "The Beast" of this Castle, or a grotesque statue like the ones from the courtyard.

I tugged on Roxas' sleeve and nodded in the direction of the form. His eyes widened as they located the shadow, but ultimately confirmed my assumption that that was in fact "The Beast". Our mission complete, we slipped through the Castle unseen and out to the courtyard.

"On to the next world," Roxas said, moving towards the Dark Corridor.

This time through, I struggled. If possible, the air was thinner, and my feet heavier. It took longer to recover on the other side. Roxas took the opportunity to look around the new courtyard we stood in. He called over, "Look at these, they're huge!"

I glanced over and saw him pointing at one of two giant golden statues glinting in the sunlight. We continued investigating until a small man-goat thing came out and told us he would be willing to train us if we helped him get rid of a few troublemaking Heartless for him. Looking at the size of the satyr though, I doubted his knowledge in combat. Of course once we moved to the Coliseum, I was proven wrong. By the time we accomplished the set tasks, we were exhausted.

"Thank you for showing us those moves." Roxas said as we made our way to the exit.

"Yeah, no problem, listen kid, I wanna word with ya."Phil called, motioning me to the side with a few urgent waves of his hand. Roxas looked to me in question; I merely shrugged and waved him on.

Out of earshot now, I turned to the little horned man and waited expectantly.

"You can cut the 'I don't know who you are' act now, alright. Wise guy…who is that zero you're with anyway? Where'd the other guys go?"

I blinked. What was he talking about? I'd never met him before this day. Shaking my head, I began, "I think you're mistaken -"

The satyr's eyes flared with irritation as he took a step towards me. His voice took on a warning quality as he said, "Listen, I never forget a face, especially yours. You and Sora and those other two clowns you were hanging around with gave me and Herc some grief."

Blood pounded in my head as his words hit me, making me stagger as my balance was lost. Luckily, a pair of hands steadied me before I could completely lose my footing. I looked up into Xigbar's face. Propping me back on my feet, and patting me harshly on the back, he asked (the command clear in the tones he used), "Noxeon, why don't you head on back to the Castle while I have a little chat with our new friend here."

Phil merely huffed and fumed, pointing accusingly at me, "Noxeon, what kind of name is that? That brat is Faitouru! I've got two words for you: ungrateful!"

Clutching my throbbing temples, I staggered away, Phil's voice fading as I neared the Dark Corridor where Roxas stood waiting anxiously. He took in my pained expression and asked worriedly, "What happened? Why's Xigbar here?"

I merely shook my head. It was impossible to concentrate on one thing right now, not when I had so many other things rushing through my mind trying to take precedence. Roxas seemed to understand, and let the way into the Dark Corridor.

The effects it had were instantaneous, knocking me to my knees. No sound of surprise escaped my lips as the wall of nothing slammed into me, forcing my throat to close. I tried reaching for Roxas only to realize he was not there. Panicking, I looked around wildly. Somehow, he had been lost amongst the dark swirling blackness. Whimpering, I did the only thing that I could think to do: call out to him. His name passed my lips and virtually disappeared. Finally, my mind began slowing as I gazed blearily out into the blank space before me. I could feel the strength leaving my body. What was happening?

"Noxeon come on, you've got to move!" a faraway voice called. My arm was wrenched up, making my body follow agonizingly slowly.

When air slammed back into my lungs, it was as if my insides exploded. I choked it down, collapsing to the ground as white dots obstructed my vision making me dizzy. Arms grasped my shoulders and turned me around forcefully. Squinting, it took me a moment to realize that I was struggling to wrench away from whoever it was. At this, I fell limp into the arms of the person that pulled me out; Roxas.

"I've got you," he said quickly, brushing the hair sticking to my forehead back. "You're alright now."

I jerked away from his fingers that felt like fire against my ice cold skin. My whole body was shaking feverishly. What's wrong with me? Roxas seemed to be at a loss on what to do, finally saying, "I'll go get Saix-"

"No," I croaked. That was by far the last person I wanted to see right now while I was like this. Slowly, I began to calm. I still shook like a leaf, but I wasn't so wild anymore.

"What happened?" Roxas asked, his arms still clutching me tightly.

Biting my lip, I glanced nervously around the empty room, making sure no one was there to overhear our conversation and began, "I'm not sure…but I-I get the feeling the Organization isn't telling me everything…"

Roxas after a brief pause asked if I was able to get to my feet. He then proceeded to help me stagger down the dark hallway before muttering guiltily, "I knew you weren't normal…Axel told me the first day we met."

Is that what that had been about?

We began our careful way towards my room as I asked, "Why did Axel say 'in due time' back then?"

"Actually, I asked if you knew or not…now I guess you do." He answered bitterly, his arm around my waist tightening as I lost my footing. "But, what happened with Phil? You looked upset…and then Xigbar…?"

All of my fear and anxiety suddenly crushed itself into a tight ball and dug itself deep within me. What would happen if I told him? Would he start hating me too? Would he still want to be friends?

I stayed silent until I'd collapsed in the chair in the far corner of my room next to my window that overlooked the World That Never Was. Roxas took his own seat on the corner of my bed and waited.

"I don't know if I should…"

He didn't say anything, merely waited expectantly. I sighed, thinking that I might as well. He was honest with me after all about what Axel had said. I sighed, drawing my legs up so I could rest my chin on my knees.

"That satyr said I was someone else…that I had a different name and that I was friends with these other people. I know that doesn't seem strange, because he was probably just referring to my previous self, but…" I paused, rubbing at my now tight chest. "I…I could almost _feel_ something. But that's not possible because I'm a Nobodie."

I buried my face in my hands, trying to shut out the jumble in my head.

"Why can't I go into Dark Corridors like everyone else then?" I asked my voice muffled. "Who am I if I can't do that?"

"Do you…do you think they're not telling us the truth?"

I was so surprised, my head snapped up so I could gape at him. It was not the fact that he was still talking to me, but that one little word that tied us together: '_us_'. Too many things wanted to spill out of my mouth at once, so I ended up sitting there, dumbstruck. He stood and began pacing the room, his brows creased in concentration. Finally he said in a rush, "I've been thinking recently that something wasn't right, but I couldn't put my finger on it. When you came, I-"

His voice abruptly cut off before he turned, fixing me with his piercing eyes, as he asked seriously, "When we looked at each other that first day, did you sense anything?"

"Y-yes, there was-"I began, but stopped when the door to my room burst open unannounced, revealing Saix.

"You two were to report as soon as you returned to the castle." He stated, stepping in.

Roxas waved in my direction as he explained, "Something happened to Noxeon in the Dark Corridor. I brought him back here to rest."

A moment passed in silence while Saix took in this information.

"Very well," he declared, his face betraying nothing but disillusionment. "XIII, I will debrief you while the Protector recovers."

He motioned to the door, to which Roxas immediately strode to. Before disappearing out the door however, he turned and said, "Feel better…"

I couldn't be sure, but for a moment, I thought it seemed like he was trying to say something else.

"Protector," Saix addressed, pulling my attention back to him. "I will return to question you."

The room resounding with the rustle of black fabric and a decisive click of the door shutting, I fell back into the chair and shuddered with apprehension. It felt like hours before I heard my superior return. Without pausing, Saix dove straight into interrogating me.

"What did the caretaker at the Coliseum speak with you about?"

"He told me I was someone other than myself." I answered, cowering into my chair (ashamedly so) as his cold eyes fixed on me. "I tried telling him that he was mistaken. That was when Xigbar showed up and sent me back with Roxas."

"What happened in the Dark Corridor?" he asked without skipping a beat.

His grilling of the events was making me uneasy. Perhaps my assumptions were right when I thought they wanted to keep something hidden from me.

"I…I don't know."

It was clear right then what was hiding under that straight-faced mask of his. In the moment it took the thought to stand out and then recede, I knew what he believed about me. He thought I was weak; less than him. Did the others think that way too?

Swiftly, he stood looming over me, his arms on either side of my head, our faces uncomfortably close, he muttered, "Know this…you will obey orders. You will protect the Keybearer. And you will not ask questions."

There was no open end to that conversation. My eyes widened as I shrank further into my chair. Not waiting for me to reply, he stood briskly, and then strode to the door. Sending me one last look over his shoulder, he disappeared into the dark hall.

For a few minutes, I merely sat there, mulling over what just happened in my mind; over and over again. Finally, I managed to find the strength to get to my feet. Undoing my coat, I slipped it from my shoulders and looked down at my body. It seemed normal enough. Nothing stood out that said I was some sort of strange mystery. Glancing at the window, I caught sight of my reflection and saw just how tired I was. Hardly any sleep last night, and the events of today were taking a toll. Dark circles were under my eyes, I stood on wobbling legs, and my pants and shirt were hanging an inch above where they should be.

Sighing, I dragged myself to my bed, and after switching off my lamp, fell almost instantly into a deep dreamless sleep. That is, until a soft knock on my door hours later woke me. Whoever it was did not bother to wait for me to answer. Instead, my door opened a crack as my unknown visitor slipped in and closed the door silently. I called out groggily, "Who's there?"

"Shhh…it's me."

I pushed myself into a sitting position and asked incredulously, "Roxas…?"

A cool hand suddenly pressed against my mouth, silencing me. His cheek pressed against mine as he whispered urgently, "Quiet!"

My entire body was overcome with a stifling wave of warmth. I could not have spoken even if I tried. Outside, I heard the steady thrum of purposeful footfall. Involuntarily, I reached up and gripped the front of Roxas' coat. Whoever was out there, paused by my door, and listened for a moment. I shut my eyes tightly, concentrating on not doing anything while my stomach flipped in the deafening silence.

Finally, whoever it was moved away, their footfall growing fainter. I slumped as Roxas moved away. He however, did not seem to be shaken. As an explanation to my questioning stare, he mumbled sheepishly, "I thought they might try to follow me."

"Why would they follow you?" I asked incredulously. He shrugged, taking off his coat as he got comfortable on the bed in front of me. I suppose that means he meant to stay for a while. I looked away quickly when our eyes met again.

"I don't think they want us to spend too much time together, apart from missions. They must have someone watching the hall at night."

"That doesn't make sense though…" I muttered.

"I know, but there's something about you that they think is dangerous. I know it."

Me…dangerous to them, that's like saying I wanted to run into a Dark Corridor by myself because it looked fun. It just didn't make sense.

Roxas' voice pulled me from my thoughts as he asked, "Hey before, you said you felt something when we looked at each other, right?"

I nodded, shifting uncomfortably as I moved to sit cross-legged in front of him, "It was like I got shocked."

Roxas' nose scrunched as he said, "I felt something different."

He suddenly blushed and got quiet. No way was he going to get away with not sharing his side. I nudged him with my toe and urged, "Come on…"

"It was kinda like…you were a missing part of me."

When he said it out loud like that, it really was embarrassing; but…strangely enough not untrue. Something within my core blazed into the forefront, making my whole body resonate with the knowledge. Both of us still avoiding eye contact, he mumbled, "So uh, what do you think that means?"

I honestly had no clue. I recounted what happened that day from when I entered, to when we fought, to when I protected him. I knew that the eye contact had something to do with my inability to attack him, and my powers of the Protector in general.

"But, it's like they knew what would happen to you." Roxas observed quietly. "They know more than they want us to know…"

Anger and fear rushed through me as I realized that the Organization was using us; manipulating the force that linked us like puppeteers.

"What should we do?" I asked, searching his face desperately for an answer.

"We can't just leave. They'd find us too easily, and then we'd really be in trouble." He mused, trying to think up some sort of stratagem. "Besides, my Dark Corridors are too weak to get us any far. We'll have to wait until the right moment."

In other words, be ready at all times to escape from these people.

"Hey, Nox, we're friends now right?"

For a split second, I did not know who he was trying to address. And then it hit me. I made a face at the nickname he'd just bequeathed and said, "Not if you keep calling me that."

He grinned happily, and soon we settled into more relaxed conversation, still remaining as quiet as possible in case someone else was patrolling the halls. The fact that I was tired completely slipped my mind as the night went on. And soon, it was time to report in for our mission briefing; so we left together. We were surprised to find a note stuck to the shut Gray Area doors that read:

_Operating Closed for Vacation_

"Vacation…? What's that?" Roxas asked quizzically, studying the word closely.

I shrugged, "Guess we don't have a mission..."

"We could go to Twilight Town to kill some time?" Roxas offered.

I suppose there was nothing else to do. And lately, the World That Never Was was starting to feel a little unwelcome. I agreed, but before we stepped into the Dark Corridor, my fingers caught hold of his black coat. He paused and looked down over his shoulder at me, question in his eyes. I said quietly, "Stay close…"

His eyes softened as he took up my hand in understanding. Focusing only on his hand around mine, I grit my teeth and followed him through the suffocating darkness. It was worth the trouble once we were back in the sun-kissed cobblestone streets of Twilight Town again. This place really was something special.

He led me over to a nearby stone railing, and we sat, watching as the towns people walked leisurely by. One particular couple stood out to me. They were walking hand in hand, not saying anything, but the look in their eyes was something that I couldn't explain. To me it looked like they were both part of the same…light. The woman was beautiful, her long wavy hair falling around her gleaming face, made more so by the fact that the tall kind looking man next to her was holding her lovingly. My chest throbbed suddenly. Thankfully I was able to keep my reaction to a minimum so I didn't have to explain what just happened to Roxas.

Just as I was beginning to feel normal again, Roxas asked almost dreamily, "Do you ever think about being one of them?"

I glanced to my friend and saw the sadness in his eyes. He turned to me and continued, "I have these dreams about a boy and his friends. They're playing, and it's almost like…I can feel all of what they're feeling too. I'm…happy."

That was how I felt being around him right now. But I couldn't very well say that. He had just opened up and told me something private, something that sounded like I couldn't possibly even pretend to comprehend. My eyes met his and I nodded with as much seriousness as I could convey silently. I was glad that I got to see something deep in his eyes smile back at me.

"Hey, you guys in some kind of band?" someone asked from behind us.

Roxas and I turned simultaneously and gazed down at three kids staring up at us. One with blonde hair, the one that looked like he was waiting for an answer, received a chiding pinch from the brown haired girl next to him as she cried, "Hayner, don't be rude!"

The blonde boy who I assumed was Hayner, rolled his eyes in response but heeded her warning, "The name's Hayner. So, you in a band or what…?"

"We're not in a band…?" Roxas answered, sliding me a raised brow look that looked like he was trying to ask, 'what's a band?'

"What's with the weird matching outfits, then?" the other dark haired boy chimed in, smiling broadly.

The girl immediately whacked the two on the backs of their heads, saving me an explanation, as she cried, "Honestly, where do you guys get your manners?"

While the others rubbed their heads, she stepped forward and smiled kindly, "I'm Olette, and these two idiots are Hayner and Pence."

As she introduced, the respective persons waved their hands in recognition. She continued, "What're your names?"

"I'm Roxas, and this is Noxeon."

"Rox and Nox, huh? That's kinda lame – oof!" Hayner began, but was cut off by a swift elbow to the ribs. "Jeez, Olette, I'm just saying they're strange names for around here. Are you guys foreign or something?"

After a quick glance to each other Roxas explained with a slight question in his voice, "We're on vacation?"

"See? Foreign."

She glared over at him, but before she had a chance to respond, the dark haired boy asked excitedly, "We were just going to train for the struggle tournament this summer, you two wanna join us?"

Hayner still rubbing his side grinned and said loudly, "My high score is 36!"

I exchanged an apprehensive look with Roxas before Pence said, "It's really easy to learn the rules."

"What could it hurt?" Roxas asked standing and smiling. He hopped down to the other side of the rail where they stood, "How do we play?"

They led us to a vacant sandlot. As we wound through the sleepy town, they explained that all we had to do was keep a ball in the air as long as we could using what they called a struggle bat. Hayner called before striding out into the middle of the open area, "But you guys can't wear those ridiculous coats!"

Olette called after him angrily, but joined in laughing when both Roxas and I started. Hayner started off by showing how it was done and beating his high score with 41 consecutive hits. Roxas insisted that I go next, so in my "civilian" clothes, I scored 44 hits.

"No way!" Hayner cried in disbelief.

Roxas patted me on the back and said, "Guess I'll have to work hard to beat that!"

"Beginner's luck…" Hayner muttered, folding his arms across his chest as he pouted.

Olette and Pence congratulated me with smiles and praise as Roxas began his turn. Roxas ended with a score of 51. Hayner would not take the defeat lightly and immediately launched into his turn. We continued like this for the rest of the day. Only when the clock tower chimed six did the others tell us that they unfortunately had to go.

"We'll see you tomorrow?" Olette asked, still slightly breathless from having laughing at the boisterous protesting Hayner was making.

The grin faded from my face as Hayner called, "Yeah, I know I'll beat you guys tomorrow!"

"I'm sorry, but…I don't think we'll see each other again." I muttered, noticing that Roxas was staying unusually quiet.

The others seemed surprised and said sadly, "We're sorry to hear that."

"We had fun today." I offered, trying to get those sad looks off their faces. They waved dejectedly as Roxas and I made our way to the station clock tower. Finally, when I couldn't take the silence any longer and we sat high above looking out at the horizon, I asked softly, "You alright…?"

"…I know I should be crying right now. I'm sad, but…I don't know how to." He whispered.


	13. Impostor, Time to Escape

Today, was the start of another day working under the Organization. It was as if our "vacation" never happened. Roxas didn't even come visit my room until two days later. He'd been acting strangely ever since we came back from Twilight Town; avoiding me. I was back to being alone again.

Today, we had just gotten back from collecting Hearts in Olympus Coliseum.

When we cleared out the entrance courtyard, we went in search of Phil who ended up being in the small inner chamber. I didn't even notice anything was wrong at first. My mind was dwelling on Roxas. And then I noticed the change in the tone of Roxas' voice. As soon as I laid eyes on the satyr, I froze in place. Bruises dotted his skin. They looked a couple days old. I tried asking what happened, but he turned away and addressed Roxas. I wasn't even there. We cleared the rest of the area and returned to the Castle.

As soon as we were done debriefing, I spun and dashed to my room, quick to hide the pained expression on my face. Roxas followed me. But when he came in to my room, I did not emerge from my spot huddled under my covers; even when he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"It's not your fault Nox…"

"How can it not be?" I burst, burying my head deeper under the blanket. "Whatever it means to be _me_ put him in danger!"

He gripped my shoulder, trying to draw me out and said, "You can't help who you are. No one blames you for that."

To me, it didn't seem that way.

The world we were being sent to today was already been investigated by Xion. Her eyes bore into my own as she explained the terrain and the strange goings-on. I was almost glad when Saix took me aside; almost. In a low voice so as not to let Roxas overhear, he ordered me to keep my hood on at all times and not to speak to anyone. An image of Phil's bruises flashed to the forefront of my mind, and I nodded.

Once we were in the world Roxas asked with a chuckle, "What the heck?"

I didn't answer, merely continued catching my breath as we drifted down a seemingly endless hole. His eyes sought mine as he studied my non-response. Finally he peered over at me and said, "You can talk to me, I promise I won't tell Saix…"

I smiled and nodded, "Alright…"

After landing in a small circular room, I felt like I was going to fall flat on my face. The floor was dizzyingly deceptive, and the walls were covered in an odd assortment of decorations, one of which was a melting clock hanging from a jutting root.

"What the…?" I breathed, gripping the wall to steady myself.

"Xion said it gets even stranger." Roxas said, smile on his lips.

Just then, a white blur brushed past my legs making me jump. A voice accompanied it crying loudly, "Pardon me, no time to say goodbye – hello…I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!"

"Hey wait!" Roxas called after the white rabbit, quickly motioning for me to follow after.

'Whoa…' I thought, clutching my head. 'Déjà vu…'

By the time I caught up to him, Roxas was peering on hands and knees through a small doorway in the corner of the room. He turned to look at me and said, "He got away!"

There was certainly no way we were fitting through there. I was surprised the rabbit was even able to squeeze through. I looked around the small room and saw (no surprise) more bizarre oddities.

"Darn it lost him…" Roxas muttered, brushing himself off as he stood.

"That is merely a matter of opinion, young man." a trilling disembodied voice called from somewhere nearby. "All one must do to find what is lost, is lose one's self in finding it, and to do that, one must become the correct size."

I wanted to ask what in the worlds it was talking about, but I was still prohibited from speaking or showing my face to anyone other than the Organization in the Castle. Roxas thankfully, was right on it. He knelt down so he was closer to something on the floor. I peered over his shoulder and saw that he had found the source of the voice faster than I had.

"What do you mean, 'become the correct size'? We're already the correct size."

"Hmph…" the gold doorknob sighed, turning his nose up at us. "Rude boy, your size is nowhere near correct. But take some friendly advice, drink from the vial on the table, and you will be."

Instantly, I did not like this situation. Roxas noticed my suddenly tense shoulders because he explained, "It's alright, and I actually remember Xion say something about this. It'll be fine."

He got up, strode to the table, and picked up the small glass, intending to get it over with quickly. But before he knew what happened, I snatched it from his grasp and took a sip. What happened next can only be described as the strangest sensation I've ever felt. My vision took on this strange shimmery quality as I seemingly fell a far ways. When it stopped, I marveled at how small I'd become compared to everything around me.

"Noxeon, where are you?" Roxas called worriedly. I waved my arms to catch his attention, and once he did, laughed and said, "You're so tiny!"

"Will we be able to get back to normal?" he asked over his shoulder, directing the question at the doorknob.

"What _is_ normal, I ask you…"he answered haughtily, before yawning, and then promptly falling into a deep sleep.

"H-hey, wait!"

"It's okay, Roxas, I think there was something else up there!" I called, pointing to the other object on the table. Sure enough, next to the vial labeled "Drink Me", was a biscut with a tag that read "Eat Me". Now that that was cleared up, Roxas quickly joined me at 4 inches tall. Almost immediately after, Heartless sprang up all over the room, like they were waiting for us. Time to get to work, I suppose.

The task was simple, but sadly enough we could not find the white rabbit again. We headed for the station clock tower in Twilight Town as soon as we regained our original size. Axel, I found, was already waiting for us. I made sure to keep my hood up, and not speak. No matter how many times I spent time up here with Roxas and the others, they never seemed to welcome me. But I guess I was used to it, and Roxas was getting really good at speaking for me. At least they let me have ice cream now without staring me down first.

"You're late!" he called, green eyes flashing with amusement.

"We are not!" Roxas cried, taking his seat on the edge and swinging his legs.

Axel merely grinned wider and tossed two ice creams our way. Roxas caught both and handed one to me as soon as I sat next to him. A few bites in, Roxas looked around and asked curiously, "Where's Xion? She still on a mission…?"

"No, she was with me today; said she just didn't feel like it."

"…she's been acting strange lately; wonder what's up?"

Axel shrugged, but I saw the knowledge in his eyes. More secrets…

When we got to the new world Saix sent us to the next day, I couldn't believe my eyes. A small glowing fairy granted us the ability to fly! As soon as my feet left the ground, I couldn't stop smiling. Beaches and endless deep blue water fell away. But ultimately we did have a job to do. We searched on all the Islands dotting the water for the giant Heartless that was threatening the area. On our way to the last Island (a small thing) I called over to Roxas gliding beside me, "Why can't the Organization move here?"

My laughter was short lived. Rising from the waves beneath us was the Heartless we'd been searching for. Taking me off guard, I did not dodge in time to avoid being thrown unceremoniously into a palm tree. My vision whitened out for a moment as pain exploded from where I impacted. Pushing myself up, I gritted my teeth and took to the air once again.

Zooming in the direction Roxas and the Heartless had gone, I soon came upon them chasing through the sky. Thankfully he was alright. Our adversary seemed more concerned with trying to out-maneuver us than anything. I joined in the fight, and after a tedious battle, we finally defeated our adversary.

Clutching my side as my breath hitched in my throat I said, "Maybe we should go back to the Castle today."

Roxas agreed, but one night's sleep didn't heal me completely. He pressed me back into bed as I attempted to sit up and said, "Don't worry, I already took care of today's mission. Xion's going with me."

I knew that he was in capable hands, and he was more than able to handle tough situations himself, but then again I would not be there in case the unexpected happened. Leaning back against my pillow, I shot him a dubious look and asked, "Do you know what you're going up against?"

"Saix said its two big Heartless in Wonderland the Doorknob there called, Pranksters."

This didn't reassure me at all. I mumbled, knowing there was no use in trying to convince him to stay, "Well…just don't do anything stupid."

"Jeez, Nox, have _some_ faith in your best friend!" he laughed, jumping down from the bed. In the next moment, he'd circled to my side and surprised me by slipping his hand behind my neck, and pulling me close so our foreheads bumped together. After the first moments butterflies died down I murmured, "I mean it Roxas…you're all I've got."

I could feel his breath on my lips as he whispered, "I know…"

He left shortly after that, leaving me feeling empty and anxious. The whole time I could not sleep. When he did finally come back, he looked completely worn out. I sat up quickly (which I regretted) and asked how it went. He flopped face first down on the bed and said, "Xion went missing today."

"What?"

"Don't worry, Axel went with me to take care of the Pranksters." He said with a small smile. "Oh, and that's what he wanted me to tell you. Xion really left the Organization."

My eyes widened further.

Turning his head so he could look into my eyes he muttered sadly, "She beat us to it."

I nodded sadly. Personally, I didn't care whether or not she was gone, but Roxas had been friends with her. I knew that despite the smile he was trying to keep, it was hard for him; he was missing her. Rubbing his face vigorously as he shifted into a sitting position, he groaned, "Why did today wear me out so much?"

"You can take a nap if you want." I offered, knowing that his room was farther than mine. He agreed. But when I got up to leave, his hand clamped down over my wrist, stopping me abruptly.

"Stay…" he whispered, not meeting my gaze. My mouth hung open as my face filled with warmth. Biting my lip and not wanting to make him feel any worse than he already must be, I slipped back under the covers next to him. We stayed like that, almost nose to nose, breathing deeply, until I felt his arms wrap around me in sleep. Part of me wanted to push him away, but at the same time I wanted to hold him close too. Soon I grew used to the feel of him being so near and became comfortable again. Finally, I too fell asleep.

"Wake up Nox!" was the next thing I heard before getting shoved unceremoniously. Grunting, I opened my eyes a fraction and saw Roxas' face inches from mine.

I grumbled irritably, still half asleep, "What…?"

"We have to go, c'mon Axel's waiting!"

Sitting up, I rubbed my wild curls and asked, "For what?"

"There's an impostor running around with the Organization coat on! We gotta catch him!"

At that, all traces of sleep fell away. It took me less than a minute to grab my own coat, throw it on, step into my shoes, and rush out the door after Roxas. Rushing down the dark hallway while still trying to calm my hair I asked, "Do they have any idea who it might be?"

"Nope, but he's definitely a threat."

When we burst into the Gray Area, two heads turned to look at us. Axel, eyes flashing, called over as we neared, "Looks like we're checking in Twilight Town for him!"

"Did the others leave already?" Roxas asked, skidding to a stop and looking around the empty room.

"The others were sent to search for the Impostor in other areas." Saix answered dryly.

A Dark Corridor sprang up behind us, which was our signal to get a move on. We all nodded to Saix, and then stepped into the blackness. Pushing past the suffocating darkness, I came out on the other side in what felt like record time. Maybe all the excitement was giving me some sort of boost? Roxas still had to steady me as Axel took a quick sweep of the side street we stood in.

"C'mon, let's head for the center of town and go from there." Axel muttered, still scanning as he motioned us forward. "Don't get separated."

Our weapons drawn, we started forward. I made sure to keep Roxas close, in case anything happened.

"Is he another Nobodie?" I asked quietly as we slunk along the outer walls of the sandlot.

"We would know if he was one of us…" Axel muttered distractedly, eyes fixed on a point near a shadowed archway. At that, Roxas' eyes swiveled onto him, brows shooting together in question. I watched as the red haired man gave the slightest of head shakes, as if to say, 'Not now.' I tried catching Roxas' attention, but he refused to acknowledge me. What was that about?

"Look!"

I started and followed Axel's pointing finger to a figure standing framed against the perpetually setting sun. This person wore similar clothes to us, but something about him seemed strange. Roxas, Keyblade at the ready, stepped out and called, "Who are you?"

No answer came. The Impostor merely stood there, looking down on us like we were rats in a cage. Axel charged forward bellowing, "Have it your way and die!"

I was hot on his heels. Axel reached him first, slashing down with his chakrams with all his might. They passed through thin air. In one instant, the Impostor had been standing there, poised, the next, gone. Wrenching the weapons out of the building's side wall, Axel looked around, trying to locate where he'd gone off to.

"There!" I called indicating the entrance to the Tram Common. The Impostor, upon hearing my voice, disappeared inside as fleetingly as smoke. We raced after him. The others were enveloped by the shadowed underground passages before my eyes. I dove in right behind them. But to my horror, I found that the air around me evaporated. Even when I tried calling out to the others, my voice wasn't there. It was like I had walked into a Dark Corridor. How could this be?

Slowly, my legs lost their momentum, and soon I was on my hands and knees, struggling for air. Gritting my teeth, I looked up at the walls around me, all of which were covered in a sort of faint sheen of undulating dark power. Before I blacked out, I tried calling out to Roxas, but my strength was gone.

When I came round, it seemed like I'd only been asleep for a few minutes. The effects of whatever power had been placed in the tunnels still had a hold on me telling me that we were still there (if not a little closer to being out of it), but I was aware enough to notice a pressure around my midsection alerting me to the fact that someone was carrying me. At first I thought it had to be either of my two companions that had finally noticed I wasn't there with them. But when I managed to turn my head slightly, I saw it was the Impostor, and he was carrying me out of the tunnels towards a Dark Corridor that could lead anywhere in the worlds.

Thinking quickly, I sent a swift jab to his ribs with my elbow and began struggling wildly, flailing my arms and legs as much as I could to throw him off balance. It worked. He dropped me and staggered away as I hurriedly rolled to the side and righted myself, also calling out my Keyblade as I went. Stumbling slightly as I shook my head to try and clear it, he surprised me by calling over, "What is your name?"

"Like I'd tell you," I spat, narrowing my eyes at him.

One second, I'm glaring at the Impostor, the next I'm face first in the side of a brick wall, my arm twisting painfully behind my back. My Keyblade slipped from my hand as I cried out in pain. Struggling was out of the question if I didn't want my arm broken. The Impostor leaned in, his hood brushing against my own as he asked dangerously, "What is your name?"

"Screw you!" I managed to bite out before he pressed my cheek into the rough surface, scraping it. Making no comment, he merely reached up and began dragging my hood away from my face. My instincts told me that if he saw me and identified who I was, then it was all over. Risking the broken arm, I began trying to wriggle free. But it was no use. It only granted me pain and wasted energy.

A faint whistling sound alerted my assailant, giving him mere seconds to react. As I fell to the ground, I heard something heavy smash into the brick wall, sending bits flying onto me. I looked around wildly and saw that the object had been Axel's flaming chakram. If the Impostor had not shoved me aside, then that would have ended up sticking out of my back. Without wasting any time, I scrambled away, clutching my now sore arm. The said red headed man appeared in front of me, one weapon still dangling dangerously from the tip of a finger.

"Leave now and I won't kill you…" he growled, eyes practically on fire. They stared each other down, before finally the Impostor slipped easily into the already waiting Dark Corridor without a sound.

"Who the hell was that guy?" I asked breathlessly, still holding my arm delicately. "And where's Roxas?"

Axel wrenched the weapon from the side of the building with a swift jerk of his arm, and then turned to face me. He answered calmly, "He's  
>safe, I sent him back to the Castle. C'mon we should go too, or he'll be worried."<p>

Moving quickly, he took me up in his arms and strode purposefully through his own Dark Corridor. All that kept running through my mind as my body slumped weakly was that that Impostor had singled me out. The power in the tunnels was no accident. That was his doing. And…Axel wasn't afraid to kill me if need be. So why was I so important? What did each side want? Who should I be protecting myself from?

When we emerged on the other side of the Dark Corridor, I thought I'd have time to recuperate, but Axel merely said, "We don't have time to stop now."

As we rushed through the dark hallways, I finally gave up and fell limp, letting my mind get carried into unconsciousness. Through the haze that followed, I could hear angry voices all around me. None of them were Roxas. Many times I felt as if someone was shaking me, but after what felt like hours of restless limbo, my eyes opened.

I was in my room, lying on my bed in the darkness. To my relief, I felt much better. I was able to sit up without feeling like my head was being spun around and around like a top; although, the scrape on the side of my face did sting a bit. A figure sitting in the chair across the room caught my eye. Cautiously, I called out, "Who's there?"

"Nox?" a familiar voice answered. "You're awake?"

Roxas sprang up, looking like a wreck. His arms wrapped around me tightly as he pulled me in for a desperate embrace. Although I was confused, I returned the hug full-force. When we broke apart, I asked worriedly, "Are you alright, you look terrible?"

"I was going to ask you that." He said smiling slightly. "What happened back there?"

Sitting in front of me on the bed, his hand clasped around mine, I took a deep breath and recounted what had happened, including the questions that I'd been mulling over. But he didn't interrupt me, merely sat listening intently.

"I…I don't know who to trust anymore." I muttered, lowering my gaze. "There are too many secrets…too many lies that I don't want any part of."

I started as I felt his cool hand rest against my cheek. My chest felt so tight. He tilted my head up so our eyes met. Warmth radiated from somewhere deep within me as he whispered, "You can trust me. I will never lie to you. That's a promise…"

Instinctively my body began to lean into him. I knew that I was safe around him, that he would never hurt me. I think I knew that ever since I was brought here. It was an amazing realization, and I couldn't help but want to be closer to him. His thumb caressed the scrape on my skin softly, as if he was trying to make it go away just by being gentle. My eyes fluttered closed at his touch. Whatever was happening to us right now, I never wanted it to stop.

Without warning, the door flew open.

Roxas and I jumped apart, his hand falling to his side, taking the warm feeling with it. The light flicked on, and there stood Axel. The look he threw me before turning to Roxas and saying, "You were supposed to tell me as soon as he woke up" clearly said that he blamed me for existing and causing all this trouble.

"He only just woke up Axel."

Green eyes flitted between Roxas and I for a moment before he nodded his head and muttered, "Well come on, Saix is waiting for us."

I wasn't done telling Roxas everything that had happened, but I guess it would have to wait. I still hadn't mentioned the fact that somehow I thought the Impostor seemed somehow familiar. Trying to buy myself some time, I faked still feeling weak, which I think Axel might've been annoyed at.

"Just go on ahead and tell them we're coming. We'll catch up." Roxas said, motioning him on as he helped me put on my Organization coat. Huffing slightly, Axel disappeared into the hall. As soon as he was out of earshot, I stood up on my own and said urgently, "The Impostor…I don't know how, but it feels like I've met him before."

Roxas' eyes widened. I nodded gravely.

"Don't tell anyone else." He said, hands gripping my shoulders urgently. "I don't know what that means, but it can't be good for you."

We made our way to the Gray Area in silence after that, remaining connected by the hand. As we drew closer to the room, we overheard Axel and Saix speaking in heated tones.

"But Roxas needs him; if anything we could use the Protector as a distraction." Axel cried. My fingers squeezed Roxas'. They were talking about my expendability. Our footsteps slowed as we rounded the corner and caught the last of the conversation.

"Are you questioning our leader Axel?"

We came around the corner, dropping each other's hands as we went. Both Axel and Saix turned and fixed their eyes on us. When we came to a stop next to them Saix started in on our mission plan.

"The Impostor has been located in Twilight Town once again. Go and destroy him Roxas – like I expected you to do yesterday." He said, still staying as stoic as ever, but his words cutting through the air like knives. I made a move to follow, but Saix's hand on my shoulder stopped me abruptly. "Not you Protector. Our leader believes you would jeopardize this mission."

"Wh-what?" I blurted, unable to control myself, fear for Roxas the only thing on my mind. I looked to my best friend wide-eyed and pleaded with him to fight for me silently.

"That is none of your concern. Do as what is required of you. Report to the Hall of Empty Melodies."

Saix's eyes bore right through me, silencing my protests effectively. This was non-negotiable. But the thought of Roxas going up against this foe without me was almost painful to imagine. Axel turned from us, taking Roxas with him, and disappeared into the Dark Corridor without another word. Feeling Saix watching me, I had to hold myself back from dashing after them or doing anything to warrant reprimanding. Slowly, I turned and left, every step feeling like a knife plunging into my gut. Reaching the Hall of Empty Melodies, I was surprised to see that no one was there, or at least that's what I thought at first.

"Yo, Protector, finally showed up, huh?" Demyx called from off to my left. I found him sitting lazily against the wall, guitar resting in his lap. Grinning crookedly, he got to his feet and called, "I'm supposed to test your skills!"

I nodded and moved to the center of the room.

"Honestly, I think they knew you'd need to vent some frustrations since you are without a purpose at the moment." He continued, also moving to the center of the room, his smiling eyes never leaving me.

I stiffened. He was right. What was I without the thing my existence was made to take care of; no one. Demyx, running a hand through his sandy blonde hair casually, called, "I won't go easy!"

With no other warning, he launched an assault. One form after the other surrounded me. It was all I could to block. But once I'd tapped into that place that was missing my best friend, all that worry and loneliness translated into power. It wasn't enough to overcome Demyx, but I did manage to land a few good blows to him personally instead of his water forms. When I could no longer hold up my own weight without leaning heavily on my Keyblade, Demyx stopped.

"Thanks for the sweat, kid." He called over his shoulder, waving coyly. That meant I could leave. Without wasting a beat, I turned and struggled to right myself. After staggering back to Roxas' room, I found that there was no sign that he'd gotten back. Dejectedly, I went to my room, drank a potion, and sat heavily in my chair next to the window and sat gazing out at the dimly illuminated streets; nothing out there but shadows. Sometimes though, I'd think I saw something in the darkness moving.

I sat there, losing myself in half-awake thoughts. Not until I was about to nod off entirely did a knock on my door rouse me. Springing to my feet, I ran and opened it. On the other side stood Roxas; seemingly intact. I flung my arms over his shoulders and said, "You're alright!"

He hugged me back, and quickly ushered me inside as he stole a quick glance over his shoulder. Turning off the lights, he whispered, "We don't have much time."

"Wha-" I started, letting him lead me to my bed. "Did you get the Impostor? What's going on?"

"I lost Axel almost as soon as we got to Twilight Town. I tracked down the Impostor and fought him. Nox…we have to leave tonight."

My stomach clenched, I found his hand in the dark and gripped it hard before he continued, "In the Dark Corridor after we left you, I asked Axel why it was that you had to stay behind. He told me that it was because you're "different" and that if the Impostor saw your face, I would be in danger."

"That doesn't make sense. Why would seeing my face make any difference?" I asked feeling helpless.

Roxas' face was dead serious as he went on, "I don't know, but the Impostor asked who you were. I didn't tell him, but he knows your name. He said that you were a lie…and that I had to "wake Him up". Nox…we're both in danger. If he figured out who you are, whatever you are, then it can't be good. He wants to take you – to take us – I think he's seen Xion too. He mentioned something about her."

"Roxas-"

"It's alright. But if we stay here, the Organization will keep using us. I told them that I saw Xion helping the Impostor and that was why he escaped. They're busy looking for them now, but we have to hurry while we can. Axel knows we're leaving. He's probably going to get them now."

My head was throbbing. So much was going on all at once that I could barely try to concentrate on sorting out one thing at a time. Something did stick out however that got my legs moving: the fact that we were leaving the Organization, practically at this very moment.

"I'm ready." I said, jumping from my bed and striding over to the door, not bothering to grab my Organization coat.

"Noxeon…" Roxas muttered behind me, his voice sounding small. Before I could turn, he already had me wrapped in his arms. Pulling me in as close as possible, he whispered into my hair, "I'm scared."

Saying something like that was profound, especially considering that neither of us had feelings. But strangely enough, something similar was happening to me. Aware of every breath he took, I hesitatingly rested my hands on his arms and mumbled, "Don't worry, I'll be there for you…I promise we'll make it out of here."

For a moment, it was just the feel of our two trembling bodies close beside each other, standing on a precipice, and nothing else. I relished in the comfort he offered, knowing that when we jumped into that deep dark place ahead of us was going to be the toughest feat of our existences.


	14. Run For It, End

Roxas had been right when he said the others wouldn't make it easy to leave, even if they weren't here in the flesh to stop us. Seemingly around every turn we encountered hundreds of Dusks as we battled our way through the Castle, from the Hall of Empty Melodies to Naught's Skyway, until we came upon the Crooked Ascension. Here I called breathlessly, "You take it first, and I'll hold them off."

"No, I won't leave you behind!"

I threw him a glare as the first Dusk came careening around the corner from Twilight's View. I blocked the way, Keyblade in hand, and cried, "Just go!"

He knew there was no arguing with me, and after one last look, jumped onto the lift. I kept one eye on him as I dispatched the Dusks, giving him time to reach the top safely. Only when he was heading towards Nothing's Call did I follow. Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I kept my head on a swivel in case any other Dusks decided to attack, but I guess I was lucky. Safely at the top, I took off after him, catching sight of his blonde spikes disappearing around the corner. Almost instantly later, I heard the distinct sounds of a fight break out; metal on metal clashing repeatedly. Roxas needed me!

Taking off at a dead sprint, I almost didn't notice the Dark Corridor materializing in my path. I didn't have time for this, I thought as I skidded to a halt. Watching intently, a boy with gleaming silver hair that I had never seen before emerged from the swirling darkness. Gripping my Keyblade tighter, I readied for anything as he turned his blindfolded eyes on me. Only then did I realize the nagging feeling in the back of my head was actually recognition. This boy was the Impostor.

Shock written plain across my face, I glanced down at my body and realized that the coat that I abandoned, the thing that had been keeping my identity a mystery, was lying on the back of the chair in my room. He could see my face.

"…I knew it was you." The boy breathed, not drawing a weapon, merely stepping towards me.

Panicked, I slashed at his midsection and cried wildly, "Stay back!"

The boy froze. Slowly, he lowered his outstretched hand and asked softly, "…Don't you recognize me? Faitouru…"

I kept my Keyblade between us. But it trembled in my hand as I called, "You've got the wrong person! I don't know who Faitouru is…I'm _Noxeon_!"

The air took on the quality of pillow stuffing. Every sound, every movement, seemed muffled and far away, adding to the tension between us. Finally, he whispered, "What did they do to you…?"

My blood ran cold. I knew he was only trying to mess with me, trying to get me off my guard, but the seed of doubt was planted. Phil called me that name too, and the Organization wanted me to hide my face. My identity was the key to all this. Still keeping him at a safe distance, I asked, "What do you want?"

Taking my question as a sort of invitation, he took a step closer and extended his hand toward me once again, "Come with me…everything will be explained."

A loud crash emanated from the next room, making me start. How could I have forgotten about Roxas? Gritting my teeth, I began edging around the Impostor, my Keyblade at the ready. It must have been my imagination, but just before I turned away, it looked as though he was sad.

The sound of Roxas' strangled cry broke the bubble that had formed around me. Sights and sounds rushed back. Panic crept into me now. Before I rounded the corner, I glanced back to where the boy had been standing, but he was gone. Running faster now, I glanced wildly around the room looking for Roxas. And there he was. Saix and he were locked in an intense fight. I was afraid that if I jumped in now, I might end up hurting my best friend more than helping him. So I stood, watching by the sidelines helplessly as the battle ensued.

At one point, cerulean eyes flashed to where I stood, and Roxas saw that I was alright. Visibly, he shook off the worry that had been looming over him. Now, I smiled, watching as he used his new burst of energy to take an unsuspecting Saix and finish him off. I grinned, taking the moment to dash towards him. We were almost out!

Without warning, all the air expelled from my lungs in one gasp. An explosion of pain radiated up from deep in my gut, turning my legs to lead. Trying to struggle for air, I clutched desperately at the arm sunk into my midriff. Nearly every bit of air was gone from my lungs, but I still managed to turn pleading eyes on the Impostor and choke out, "Wh-why…?"

Retracting his elbow, I finally collapsed. He kept me steady as I fell limply into his arms. I was hoisted into the air effortlessly. The last thing I saw before darkness swallowed me was Roxas calling out and running after me. Fear shone in his eyes as he strained to reach me in time. I wanted to tell him I was sorry. I wanted to tell him that I wanted to spend more time with him. I wanted…to tell him…

~O~

"Can you draw out his…"

"…how long until…"

"…the Protector."

"…place him in the…"

My head swam. Voices were all around me. Something was wrong with my body. I couldn't move.

"…bring me the witch."

"…need him…"

"…must awaken…"

Someone was moving near me. What were they planning? Why did they need me?

"…data world."

"_He_ is counting on…"

I need to get out of here! I have someone who needs me!

"Faitouru…?"

Roxas…


	15. Part Two: Bonus Chapter

Every second seemed to take an hour to live through. I watched helplessly as the person I cared for most in all the worlds was swept away right before my eyes. We had gone through so much together, and now…

My whole body stood rooted to the spot where he'd last been. I could still feel the faint trace of the power from the Dark Corridor the Impostor had taken him into on my fingertips. We had been so close to making it out of here together and living our lives free of the Organization.

The sound of hissing Dusks closing in pulled me from my thoughts, reminding me that I was still being hunted for desertion. Pushing back all my thoughts, I concentrated hard on my own powers, and was able to open a very weak Dark Corridor of my own. Glancing back one last time at the Castle around me, I stepped in, and let the portal close behind me. Moments later, I emerged from the cool Darkness onto the roof of Twilight Town's clock tower. Sitting heavily on the ledge and tucking my knees to my chin, I silently gazed out at the perpetual sunset and finally allowed myself to mourn for the loss of Noxeon.

I could still leave, it's what he would want me to do, I know that but…without him, I didn't see the point. Together we had discovered our capabilities of being able to feel the way people did with their hearts, and we found the Organizations true motive for keeping us locked away in their Castle; too late though. Letting out a bitter laugh, I placed my head in my hands and went over and over again everything that had happened and gone wrong.

It wasn't until a while later, when the wind had turned wintry, that I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Thinking it was Axel here to take me back to the Organization, I looked over slowly. My eyes widened in shock as I started and cried, "Xion!"

She was the only other one to have successfully deserted the Organization. I hadn't seen her in a while, and I could tell that something about her had changed. Still remaining silent, she deftly handed me a sea salt ice cream. I took it, remembering all the other times we'd spent up here with Axel and…Noxeon. We ate in silence. Only when we finished did she finally stand and say softly, "Roxas…I'm out of time."

What could she mean by that? Almost as an answer to my inner question, she pushed back her hood to reveal her face. What I saw made my stomach clench in fear and horror. No sound escaped my lips as I took in the appearance of a boy I thought I would never see outside of my brief dreams. Still not looking at me she continued, "Even if I'm not ready, I have to make this choice. There have been so many memories…I feel like I'm about to overflow. Look at me Roxas…who do you see?"

Why was she acting like this? What had happened to her? Was there something I was missing? I didn't understand any of it! My head swam as I got to my feet shakily.

"If you see somebody else's face…a boy's face, then that means it's almost time." She continued, slowly looking up at me. "Roxas…this is him. It's Sora."

Not bothering to wait for me to answer, she suddenly turned and stepped off the edge of the clock tower into thin air. I made a small noise of dismay that quickly faded away as soon as I saw that she wasn't falling. Instead, she strode out a few feet from me, turned and once again put up her hood.

From beneath the brim she glared over at me and said, "You're next, Roxas…I have to make you a part of me, too. Don't you see? _This_ is why I was created."

Before I could even properly process what she was telling me, I was fighting for my life against one of my best friends. Her form continued to change, becoming less and less like her the more she struggled to overtake me. My mind reeled every time she struck me, it was like she was pulling the memories from my mind until I couldn't even think straight. Finally I delivered the blow that stopped her.

Clutching my head, I tried remembering why I held a dark haired girl in my arms. She was hurt; badly. I asked horrified, "Am I the one that did this to you?"

"No…" she mumbled, shaking her head slightly. "It was my choice…to go away now. Better that, then to do nothing, and let Xemnas have his way. I…belong with Sora."

It was as if her very soul was breaking off into small shimmering pieces and floating away into the sky. She continued to tell me that I had to stop this Xemnas guy from getting to Kingdom Hearts. I didn't know what she was talking about. All I could do was hold her as she slowly died in my arms.

"Goodbye Roxas. I'm glad I got to meet you." She whispered faintly, a small smile turning up the corners of her mouth. Her hand shakily pressed against my cheek lovingly as she continued, "See you again…"

And at that moment, all at once, my mind snapped back into place. Just as her hand fell limp, I remembered everything. I caught her hand in my own before it could fall and clutched it desperately crying, "No, you're all I have left!"

But her eyes were closed, and all the life in her body gone. Helplessly, I watched as another friend disappeared before my eyes. I was alone again. As I watched the last of her shimmering essence disappear over the wind, her words echoed back to me, "You can't let Xemnas take Kingdom Hearts."

Shakily, I got to my feet, and made a silent vow. I would remember my friends by not running and hiding. I had to do something to make their sacrifices right; no matter what. Gritting my teeth and clenching my hands into fists, I called up another Dark Corridor. I had some unfinished business back in the World That Never Was.

The Impostor had found me before I could make it back to the Organization's Castle. In the rain washed streets we battled, and now he lay on the ground before me, panting. I too was breathless, but anger drove me, keeping my feet planted firmly on the ground. Throughout our exchange, I had demanded that he tell me where he'd taken Noxeon, but he never answered. And now that I almost had him beat, he asked me, "Why? Why do you have the Keyblade?"

"Shut up!" I cried infuriated, swinging down on him with as much strength as I could muster. His swift block was unexpected, and completely taken off-guard, I sailed back and landed hard on the ground. I was so fed up with everything…I didn't want to get up. But there was no way I was giving up now. Xion and Noxeon were counting on me.

Slowly, I righted myself, much to the Impostor's surprise, and called over, "Why don't you quit?"

He merely smirked and said, "Come on, Sora, I thought you'd be stronger than this!"

"Whatever - look which one of us is winning, idiot!" I blurted involuntarily.

My eyes grew wide with shock. That wasn't anything like me.

"So it's true…you really are his Nobodie…"

"What are you talking about? I am me! No one else!" I shouted, quickly rearing back to swing my Keyblades once again. "Where's Noxeon?"

He was taken off-guard once again and skidded away as one of my Keyblades connected with his side. Clutching said side, he glared over at me and panted, "…you've left me with no other choice."

Without warning, he threw off the black blindfold and suddenly became engulfed in a swirling cyclone of darkness. I threw my hand up to shield my face, and when it stopped, I looked over and saw that the boy had changed. Now he looked like Xemnas – the same piercing amber eyes shone in the darkness – and a large Heartless hovered over his head menacingly. What sort of Dark power is this?

I blinked and he was gone. I blinked again, and we stood nose to nose. Another blink, and a crushing force wrapped around my torso, cutting off my air supply. In vain, I tried to struggle against the Heartless' grip on me, all while holding the cold gaze of the Impostor. The edges of my vision were starting to fade.

_Everyone…I'm sorry._

_I tried._


	16. Part Three: 3percent

_It feels normal, but…_

_Is there something I'm forgetting?_

_Oh, that's right…_

_Wasn't I looking after you?_

~O~

My chest felt uncomfortably tight, like someone had just gotten done pressing me in from all angles. Blinking against the soft glow of the setting sun shining in my eyes, I waited for them to adjust, noticing slowly that my surroundings were becoming familiar by the second. Soon, I was blushing wildly. I stood smack dab in the middle of one of the busiest streets in town. Nearly stumbling over the cobble stone as I quickly walked to the side, avoiding questioning looks, I asked myself: just how long had I been standing there like an idiot?

Almost as an answer, the station clock tower chimed loudly echoing across the sleepy town, making me jump. Holding a hand over my wildly beating heart, I started off in the direction of home and breathed, "That's good…"

It had only been fifteen minutes since school got out, and ten minutes of my journey had passed walking from there to the middle of this street. I hadn't been daydreaming for long. Rubbing my chest absently still confused about the strange sensation, I continued on through the winding streets. It almost felt like the burn of holding back tears…but I never cry, even if the others say it was okay to do so every once in a while. I smiled, thinking of my three friends.

We met two years ago. Back when Mom and Dad had decided to let me attend public school after being at home for the better part of my young life. The doctors said it would be a positive experience for me; help me grow.

_On my first day, I was walking around the corner of the hall in the school to get to my first period, already feeling nervous, when a blonde boy knocked into my shoulder, causing all my books to tumble from my arms. Instantly, I felt my nerves shut my brain off. Nothing was coming to my mind to say. The boy, after some heated words, and later an apology, gathered up my things, stuffed them in my arms once again and led me to my classroom. For some reason, we became inseparable. I met his other friends, and it was the same case. _

Mom noticed over time that I was talking, laughing, and playing more. Finally I was acting like a normal kid. She was so happy when my three new friends came over that first summer for my birthday, she cried. Needless to say I was mortified, and herded Hayner, Pence, and Olette down the stairs to the basement to watch movies before she could launch into anything else embarrassing.

After going to school regularly, she found a stable job as an accountant. She had a hard time with that; leaving me alone more often that is. She had always been close to me, ever since I was little. To her, I would always be her little baby.

Yesterday she told me she was getting off after her lunch break to make a surprise for me to celebrate the completion of another year. Hopefully it wasn't anything too crazy. I never really knew what I was going to get from her sometimes.

I smiled softly as I climbed the steps to my front door. Digging out my key quickly, and pressing it into the lock, I went inside, tossing my backpack to the ground as I went. As I kicked off my shoes I called out, "I'm home…sorry I'm late!"

"Fai sweetie, I was just starting to worry!" her muffled cry answered from further in the house. "Did you have to talk with a teacher before you left?"

I rounded the corner halfway down the hall into the small homey kitchen. Immediately, a mouth watering aroma filled my nostrils. Chocolate chip cookies! I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, muttering distractedly, "No, I was just daydreaming a little…"

Her shoulders tensed almost immediately, and when she turned her eyes on me, a mixture of worry and suspicion made them well up with tears as she took a step towards me. I blushed and looked down at my shoes. I knew she was about to go into hysterics, so I quickly cut in, "It's not what you think!"

Her footsteps faltered, and I chanced a glance over at her. Tears clung to her eyelashes as she bunched up her still young looking face unattractively to keep them back. Quickly I stammered, "I told you I'd never be like that again. I'm here to stay, like I promised…"

That seemed to calm her. The memories of those first few months of school hung in the air between us.

_The hallway had been dark except for the soft glow of the kitchen light. I walked towards it, curious to see who was up this late. As I approached the doorway, I could hear a muffled sob. Deciding to peer around the edge of the wall first before bursting in, I saw my parents sitting at the small table under the window in the kitchen, my Dad clutching my Mom's free hand. As I watched, she dabbed a wadded up tissue under her eye and muttered thickly, "It's just hard to believe he's finally getting better…"_

_"But he is," Dad crooned, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Those kids are his friends, Haruna. He's getting better every day thanks to them."_

_Mom choked back a sob and said, "I…I never want to see him like that again, Kei. I don't think I could take it. Not now…"_

_Dad leant over the table top and gathered Mom in an awkward hug. She clung to him all the same. Why hadn't I ever noticed how much they cared for me before? A veil felt like it was lifting away from my mind, making me think that much clearer. Determinedly, I stepped around into the light and went silently to their side. They didn't notice me until I whispered, "I'm sorry…"_

_Mom started, releasing Dad as her eyes met mine. She wiped hurriedly at the tear tracks on her face and asked, "Faitouru sweetie, what are you still doing up? You have school tomorrow."_

_I remained silent for a moment, merely studying them. In my soul, I could feel the beginnings of change in me. Finally I mumbled, "I promise…I won't go back to how I was…"_

_Nodding, Mom pressed her lips together, and wiped her eyes hurriedly. I took a seat next to her and asked them to tell me all about the childhood I couldn't remember. Mom refused to speak about it, so Dad was the one that looked me straight in the eye and told me that after I was born, there wasn't any reason for my disease to happen. The doctors suspected that my brain wasn't receiving information correctly, but they couldn't fix it. _

_Mom went through nearly nine years of nursing me, even though I never spoke or hardly made any interactions with her. She cared like any other mother would a normal son, and never gave up on me. When I was ten, I began replying to her. The first time, she cried so hard with relief that I didn't speak again for quite some time. And slowly, I started coming out of my shell. _

_Thanks to her, I can remember the first time I smiled. That was truly the first time I saw her smile with sheer joy, I couldn't believe my eyes. It had such a transforming effect on her plain features. Dimples I never knew existed creased her cheeks, all of her big bright teeth shining, and her face was like the ever constant sun outside; warm and brilliant._

Her present smile pulled me out of my thoughts as she motioned to the tray she had just retrieved from the oven.

"Happy Graduation, sweetie…"

I smiled and went to her side, wrapping my arms around her in a silent thank you. As my chin rested against her shoulder she asked, placing the tray to the side to cool, "So how was your day?"

I shrugged, to which she answered with a frown that didn't suit her at all. Taking my hand, she led me over to the small table and forced me to sit opposite her. Feeling my stomach growl fiercely as the tempting aroma of the cookies taunted me, I turned my most convincing "puppy-dog eyes" on her. She merely said in a clipped voice, "Dinner will be in half an hour."

Pouting on the inside, I made a defeated noise and let my forehead fall against the table heavily. There really wasn't much to tell about my day. I didn't like school, I only liked going because that meant I could spend time with the others. Another almighty growl from my stomach called out, which I'm sure she could hear. I turned my head to gaze up at her as I mumbled, "You're cruel mom…"

She regarded my expression for a moment, before grinning hugely as her eyes sparkled with childlike excitement, "Alright, just one!"

We immediately bolted for the now perfectly cooled cookies, quickly choosing the four largest, and hungrily rushing back to our seats to eat.

"So, really, how was the rest of your day aside from the-"she began, cutting herself off as she shrugged to mimic my own.

"We signed up for our classes next year." I murmured, still trying to chew.

"Oh good," she commented lightly, licking her fingers for the last remnants of chocolate. "So is the gang coming over later for some celebrating? Do I need to make extra dinner for them?"

"No, not tonight, they already had other plans. We're going to get together tomorrow."

"That's right; Pence did say something about that when they were here the other day."

The click of the front door opening in the hall took me by surprise, making me jump. I glanced to Mom and saw her eyes light up with an inner happiness that I don't even think she was aware of. As Dad stumbled over the threshold, she called, "Welcome home honey! We're in the kitchen!"

He came in loosening his tie, a big crooked grin covering his scruffy face. Scrutinizing our chocolaty faces, he stopped short, and said laughing, "I see the celebration's started without me!"

Striding past the table, he reached out and ruffled my hair, making a beeline for the cookies. I glared in annoyance. Calling over his shoulder as he pondered which cookie looked the best, he asked, "So kiddo, school was good?"

"I guess…"

"Glad you get summer with your friends?" he asked smiling knowingly. I nodded eagerly as he started back to us, two delicious treats in his hands. Bending down, he gave my mother a kiss before taking the seat next to her. We talked about their work days for a bit while he ate. Only when Dad complimented Mom on her baking skills did anything embarrassing happen.

"…the best yet, sweet-heart." He said, putting a loving arm around her shoulder.

Her eyes glinted mischievously as she said, "You have some on your cheek…I'll get it for you."

She craned her neck, steering his cheek with her free hand down, pressing a soft kiss against his rough whiskers. Sitting back, she licked her lips satisfactorily. Dad merely tapped his own lips and commented coyly, "I think you missed some."

"Can't you wait until I leave?" I asked standing hurriedly. Dad merely motioned for me to get lost while Mom called after me, "Dinner will be ready soon!"

I smiled to myself as I made my way to my room to change into a pair of comfortable sweats. As I made my way up to my small room, I clutched the spot above my chest and thought back to earlier. That same pressure that had been present then, was back. Something about watching my parents together made me feel…lonely. Shaking my head, I began to change. It's not like I wasn't happy for them. I didn't know what that was.

Turning back, I shrugged my shoulders and mumbled to myself, "Whatever…"

After eating dinner and watching a late-night movie before going off to bed, I was thoroughly exhausted. Sleep came almost before my head could hit my pillow.

The next morning when the sun's rays could no longer be ignored, I slowly opened my eyes. Normally I rose early, but today I had no desire to leave my bed. My body felt weak and feverish. My stomach especially throbbed with a bruising pain. And the ache in my chest was back. I just wanted to curl up under the covers and never get up again.

Mom came in half an hour later though, looking concerned. Usually I would have gone down and made myself some breakfast by now. As I turned to her, she looked a little more relieved, but still she came to my side, sat down on the edge of the bed and asked, "Faitouru sweetie, are you feeling alright?"

Her cool hand brushed my cheek gently as I sighed and told her that I felt like I might have caught a cold.

"I'll go get you some medicine, okay? You just stay right here and rest." She cooed, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead before heading for the door. "Do you want me to call the others? Tell them you're not feeling too good?"

I shook my head. The last thing I wanted was to not see my friends on the first day of summer. With one last smile, she bustled out into the hall and down the stairs. In a few minutes she was back and gave me some cold medicine. The gang showed up shortly after that, talking loudly downstairs with Mom before coming up the stairs and bursting into my room.

"Hey man, how are you feeling?" Hayner asked sincerely, plopping down on the end of my bed. The others echoed his question as they pulled over a beanbag and desk chair to sit on.

I sat up and said, "Actually better now you guys are here."

There was a moment of silence before Hayner guffawed good naturedly, "Well when you do feel up to going out let us know, I don't wanna be stuck in your room all day!"

I smiled warmly over at him as we fell into our normal conversations. We talked about school and how glad we were to be out of there. Then there was the fact that a new skateboard was coming out soon. And the big news that seemed to get brought up every few minutes was the day of the Struggle Tournament closing in. Within a couple of hours, the pain and strange feebleness that had overtaken me slowly fell away leaving me feeling like I always did. We left shortly after, much to my Mom's delight. She herself was heading out the door to go to work.

"Be safe," she muttered, quickly brushing a kiss against my cheek.

I struggled to pull my shoes on as Olette asked, "So what's the plan for today?"

Hayner said, "None of us has any money…"

"Usual Spot…?" I asked standing and opening the door to leave.

Pence bounded out first exclaiming, "And ice cream!"

"Oh, and then dinner back here before calling it a day!" Olette offered.

Shutting the door firmly, we all nodded in agreement, setting off down the street towards our hang out. This was going to be the perfect start to summer vacation.

~Reality Removal 3%~


	17. 8percent

The next morning I woke up early enough to see Mom and Dad off for work. After eating a small breakfast, I decided to get dressed and head to the Usual Spot. I brought along a book, knowing that after the events of last night, no one would get there any time soon.

In a few minutes, I was brushing away the curtains that served as the entrance to our little hide-out. Stretching out on the couch, I waited, losing myself in the pages of my history book. Pence and Olette came in together, both looking a little worn, but all together happy. Next, Hayner trickled in around ten, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. We sat around for another half an hour, lazily waking up.

Finally Hayner blurted irritably, "How much sleep does that guy need?"

"You did have that marshmallow eating contest…" Pence called over, fiddling with something.

"Yeah, and you know how well he does with too much sugar in his system." Olette chimed in, flipping another page in her magazine. "Probably couldn't fall asleep…"

Hayner threw an appalled look over at them and cried, "That bum's wasting away precious summer vacation! Does that mean _anything_ to you?"

"Maybe we should just go get him then?" Pence said, smiling brightly.

Hayner flatly refused, yelling about how he'd rather just leave "the big idiot" and go have our own fun. Pence and Olette merely rolled their eyes, sharing grins with me before dragging the ranting strawberry blonde along through the cobblestone streets. When we assembled below our best friend's window, Hayner immediately took up a few stray pebbles from the ground and began lobbing them over his head. By now the clock tower chime had ended striking the eleventh hour.

I waited anxiously next to them. Even though we'd only seen each other last night, it felt like it'd been days. As the second story windows finally were thrown open, and a thick head of spiky blonde hair poked out, Olette began waving. His voice called down hastily, "Sorry, I'll be right down!"

Unconsciously, a smile turned up the corners of my mouth as he disappeared inside once again. Just seeing my best friend made my whole body glow with a kind of warmth. Hayner threatened loudly after him, "Roxas, if you don't start moving, I will personally beat you to within an inch of your life with a Struggle bat!"

Pence, Olette, and I laughed as a fuming Hayner crossed his arms defiantly over his chest. The whole thing reminded me of the first day at school when I'd met them.

_I had been walking down the road, school in sight, when two boys rushed by on their skateboards. I was so startled I'd lost my grip on my things and they spilled out all over the ground. It had been so sudden; all I could manage to do was stand there like a complete idiot. And then there was a hand waving in front of my face, snapping me back to reality. With my eyes, I followed the hand up the arm that it belonged to and met the gaze of the boy in front of me. His ultramarine eyes had held me so firmly, that I almost didn't hear him when he asked worriedly, "Sorry about that, are you okay?"_

_Nodding, I lowered my gaze and shuffled on my feet uncomfortably. For a moment, it was silent, and then he asked, "Hey…I don't think I've seen you before? Are you new?"_

_Nodding once again, I went to pick up my things, but found another boy holding them out for me all neatly stacked. I couldn't think of what to say. I ended up accepting them mutely which the strawberry blonde headed boy (that I now know to be Hayner) didn't seem to appreciate. He muttered, throwing me an angry look, "C'mon we'll be late if we don't hurry."_

_The first boy (Roxas) was hesitant to leave me. He told me later that it was because I reminded him of a lost puppy. They argued a bit before finally agreeing to let me tag along. And so, for some strange reason, we became inseparable. _

Letting the memory fade, I turned back to the present. Roxas was just jogging up, a warm smile lighting his face. Our eyes met briefly while Hayner berated him with his grievances. We shared a smile.

"So what's our plan for today?" Olette asked, cutting in.

"We could go get ice cream?" Pence offered eagerly.

"We did that yesterday," Roxas pointed out, elbowing him playfully.

Pence smiled sheepishly and shrugged. The others kept throwing ideas out as we automatically headed back to the Usual Spot. Taking the opportunity to slip out of Hayner's reach, Roxas came to my side. I asked, "Sleep well?"

He merely nudged me with his shoulder (which sent me a little off balance now that he was taller than me) and slung his arm around me chummily, "Like a baby after I crashed around two. It's good you guys came to wake me up early."

For a moment, it became difficult to keep a straight face, but finally I was able to say, "It's almost twelve."

He looked so utterly confused, it was comical. And when realization dawned on his face, he exclaimed horrified, "What, no way!"

Hayner caught the last of our conversation as we entered the Usual Spot and demanded that Roxas pay tribute for wasting his precious time. The price of an ice cream (which made Pence happy) for each of us was all he would take to make him forgive Roxas. With a groan, Roxas agreed. After that, we made our plans. First some skateboarding in the tunnels, then get ice cream, and lastly head to the clock tower.

Happily, we spent the afternoon idly skating through Twilight Town. I can't stay on the stupid thing to save my life, but sometimes the others would take pity on me and lead me by the hand on one. Only when that got boring did Pence drag a reluctant Roxas to the square and make him cash in on his debt to us. Once the frozen treats were in our hands, Hayner grinned maliciously. Roxas glared over at him and called defiantly, "Yeah I hope you enjoy that! That was all the munny I had!"

Olette slipped her arm through mine and said, "Let's go up to the clock tower, I know Faitouru's dying to see it again!"

"I almost forgot," Roxas replied, completely overlooking his ill feelings.

I knew he was thinking about that day too.

_Back when we'd first met, he'd insisted that I tag along with them. I was so caught up in it all, that I'd forgotten to call my Mom. They led me to the station, and then took me up a secret flight of stairs to the top of the clock tower. It had been an unusually warm fall evening, so we ended up staying there for hours. Only then did I loosen up. At one of Pence's jokes I smiled. _

_"Smiling suits you, you should do it more often." Roxas said, turning everyone's attention on me. I blushed, trying to hide my face from their eyes. _

_When we left, the others went their own separate ways through the tunnels while Roxas and I went back through the streets. Turned out he lived in the same direction as me, and offered to walk home with me. We didn't talk though. As we walked I could feel the tension leaving my body again. Something about being around him made me feel comfortable. I didn't feel pressured into saying anything. _

_Turning the corner onto my street, my heart plummeted. There was my Mom sitting on our stoup, clutching a phone in one hand, and a wadded up tissue in the other. That's when I realized I hadn't called. Just when I was about to call out to her though, she caught sight of me. Even from where I was standing, I could see the tears rolling steadily down her cheeks._

_"Where have you been, I've been so worried!" she shrieked, jumping to her feet and rushing to me. Her arms gathered me up into a bone-crushing hug with a surprising amount of strength for someone so small._

_"I'm sorry I forgot to call," I said, patting her awkwardly._

_Her shoulders stiffened slightly, but reluctantly she let me go and began, "Your Dad's out looking for you! We thought maybe you'd had a bad first day, and-"_

_Her voice cut off when her eyes fell on Roxas standing next to me. Eyes widening, she glanced between us before asking in disbelief, "Did you…make a friend?"_

_Roxas took the opportunity to step up and say brightly, "Actually he made four."_

_The one eighty my Mom did in emotions was staggering. All thoughts of being upset vanished, and she squealed with delight. Finally after twenty minutes of non-stop questions I said, "Mom can I say goodbye in private so I can start on my homework?"_

_She immediately bustled away, saying something about calling Dad before shutting the door. _

_"Your Mom really cares about you," Roxas commented, a small smile on his lips. _

_Lowering my head, I nodded awkwardly, feeling my anxiety creep back up. I was sure he was freaked out by what was going on. Who else's Mom does that? And then there was the question of 'why' that seemed to be hanging in the air. He must've realized by now that there was something wrong with me. _

_Deciding to get it over with, I cleared my throat and explained meekly, "She worries because I tend to be…forgetful."_

_My throat seemed to be closing, making it hard to swallow. I merely stood there, picking at a stray thread on my sweater as the silence grew thicker. Who knows what he's thinking of me now? There's no way I could show my face at school ever again. Deciding to give him the whole story (now that he's probably going to never talk to me again), I continued, "The doctor said it's a really rare disease. They think it's sort of like Alzheimer's, but backwards…"_

_Cringing, I waited for the sound of his retreating footsteps. _

_"So…you're like an old man?"_

_I started, my head snapping up to gaze over at Roxas. He wasn't running, or looking at me like I was some kind of freak. All he did was offer up a kind smile; like I was a normal person. I spluttered the first question that came to mind._

_"O-old…?"_

_"Yeah, well it explains why you don't talk much, and why I didn't get into any trouble today. You always said something first." He explained easily. _

_Laughter bubbled up, and before I knew it, I was overpowered by the strong emotion of happiness. To my relief, Roxas joined in. Somehow, he'd realized that my telling him was something huge for me. I don't know how, but I was glad he did. He got me like that. A weight had been taken from my shoulders. _

Smiling, I gazed out at the town hundreds of feet below me. We all sat on top of the tower, finishing off our sea salt ice creams that Roxas had provided, gazing out at the sunset. Thankfully I didn't have to call my Mom anymore. She would trust the gang with her own life.

"Ma-n I missed this!" Hayner sighed, leaning back and letting the sun soak in.

"Hey, maybe we could convince the teachers to go easier on us next year, you know, for our health." Pence suggested. At that, we all laughed.

We spent the rest of the evening up there. Only when a chilled wind began blowing in did we start saying goodbye. Olette left first, making a plan to meet up tomorrow at the Usual Spot before going down the staircase. Shortly after, Hayner and Pence complained of it being too cold and departed, leaving Roxas and me.

"Are you cold?" Roxas asked as I rubbed deftly at my arms.

"Only a little, but…I don't want to leave yet." I answered truthfully, turning my gaze on him.

Smiling, he scooted closer so we were joined at the hip and shoulder. The ever-changing color of the sunset was now turning to deep purples and reds, signifying day shifting into night. Quietly, we gazed out. Dimly, I noticed that Roxas' body heat was radiating from him, keeping me warm. And I was just starting to feel drowsy when he suddenly said, "It's my birthday tomorrow."

Instantly I was awake. Nervous jitters flooded my body as I glanced up at him. A childish grin slowly spread across his face as he asked, "Did you get me anything yet?"

Of course I did. I'd been carrying it on me for the past few days. And he knew that too. I was a horrible liar, and he'd already worked out that I'd gone out shopping. He was whining now for a hint, but I knew that if I tried only hinting, I'd end up just flat out telling him, so in one quick move I shoved my hand in my pocket, drew out the small package, and pressed it firmly into his hand.

His eyes widened before he started ripping the paper off. I was worried though. Last year, Olette helped me pick out something for him. This time, I found it on my own. I hoped it wasn't too boring. Once the paper had been torn away to reveal the item, he fell silent. I bit my cheek in anticipation.

"This is perfect," he said.

I watched him take off his old checkered wristband and put on the new one that I'd gotten him. The breath I'd been holding was released as I mumbled, "Happy birthday Roxas."

Without warning, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders in a thank you. As he pulled away he asked, "You know, your birthday's next month, what do _you_ want?"

I frowned and sent a swift elbow to his ribs and said chuckling slightly, "You have to surprise me."

He deflated immediately, "Please Fai, you know I'm just as bad as you at getting gifts!"

"I found yours this time, didn't I?"

Pouting, he shoved me playfully. We didn't stay for much longer though; the cold wind finally could not be ignored any longer and I offered the alternative of a movie night at my place.

_~Reality Removal 8%~_


	18. 20percent

For the past few weeks, something's been happening to me that made my heart skip a beat every time I thought about it. My memory seems to be getting worse and I keep saying strange things. They're little, and probably don't matter much because I've been out of school for a while, but still it gets me worrying.

"Faitouru, time to wake up birthday boy!" my Mom's voice called from the hall.

I sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as both my parents came in. Mom smiled down at me happily as Dad held her close with an arm around her waist. Something else that had slipped my mind; today I'm finally fifteen.

"Well come give me a hug!" Mom said impatiently, gesturing with her arms.

I swung my legs out from under the covers and went over, gathering them both in a hug. I muttered, still shaking off the dregs of sleep, "Love you…"

"Oh, love you too sweetie!" Mom gushed, squeezing my middle a little tighter before letting go. Dad ruffled my hair affectionately and started steering us toward the stairs. It was tradition that whosever birthday it was, opened their presents first thing in the morning and ate cake for breakfast. Mom insisted that I close my eyes as they led me to the kitchen.

"Okay…open!"

I blinked. There before me was a glowing cake, fifteen candles burning brightly. And next to the cake, all my friends stood grinning. In unison they cried, "Happy birthday!"

When the stunned look on my face didn't change, they began laughing, and ushered me over to the table to blow out my candles. It was great, getting presents from everyone. Mom got me new shoes, Dad got me a new wallet, Pence gave me ten free ice cream coupons (which are practically gold), Olette handed over a new book, and Hayner shoved a new Struggle bat into my hands. I hugged each of them in turn, almost forgetting that there was one more person left.

I had expected him to laugh and tell me he'd get it tomorrow, but to my amazement, he smugly produced a small package from behind his back. I took it gently and found that inside was a chain, and attached to it was a pendant. My brows furrowed in thought as I studied the design. Somehow the small silver crown tugged at something in the back of my mind; but what? I'd never seen this before in my life.

Shrugging, I smiled up at my best friend and said, "It's great, thanks Roxas."

I reached up and put my arm around his neck, pulling him into a hug. For a moment, we stood like that, and then I felt him grow still. When we pulled away, he was blushing, and wouldn't look me in the eye. Slightly confused, I let my Dad lead me back to the table to eat cake.

Shortly after, my parents had to leave for work. We finished eating our "breakfast" and the others decided to clean up while I went and got changed. Before I left though, I pulled Roxas aside and asked under my breath, "Hey…are you feeling okay?"

While we had been eating, I couldn't help but notice that he had steered clear of me. Nodding quickly he muttered in a rush, "Yeah, I feel kind of jittery today I guess."

Still concerned, but not wanting to push it, I muttered, "We'll leave soon."

After I returned, hair in less of a mess, and fully clothed, the others diagnosed that they too had eaten too much sugar and needed an activity to make them feel better. We were almost to the station, when I rounded a corner, Olette by my side talking about the new book she'd gotten me, when I suddenly walked directly into someone. An apology was on my tongue, but when I caught sight of who it was sneering down at me under a black beanie, I bit it back.

"Watch it pipsqueak," Seifer growled, shoving me away.

It was lucky I fell into Roxas; otherwise he might have tried punching our rival. Instead Roxas shot back angrily, "Don't talk to him like that!"

"_Excuse_ _me_," Seifer said sarcastically. "But if mute-boy over there doesn't watch out, next time I won't be so nice."

I really wanted to come back with something witty to say, but the words wouldn't come. I settled for glaring. With a degrading laugh, he reached out and ruffled my hair mockingly. I pushed his hand away just as Hayner cried, "Cut it out!"

Seifer's gang, which had gone unnoticed until now, began roaring with laughter. Feeding off of their encouragement, he turned back to me and bent so we met eye to eye and said, "I'm sowy widdle boy, did Seifew hit a newve?"

My face turned beat red with embarrassment, but instead of doing or saying anything, I gripped Roxas' arm to keep him from doing anything stupid. And before anyone else could react, Seifer was striding off in the direction of the sandlot, his gang in tow, calling over his shoulder, "Later, Losers…"

"Coward," Roxas spat.

My fingers dug into his arm as I struggled with keeping my thoughts in control; times like these, I wanted to shout a million different things; an insult, a pitiful whimper, or something entirely different but nothing ever came out. This only happened occasionally. And Roxas was the only one that had ever gotten the full story of my illness. And he understood what was happening. Placing a hand on my shoulder he asked under his breath, "You okay?"

I nodded, my mind already growing quiet. Prying my hand away, he then gently turned me back in the direction of the station and said, "C'mon, let's go…"

Everyone was still grumbling as we made our way up the steep cobblestone street. Getting away from here was what we needed right now. And as we drew closer, the prospect of playing at the beach grew more and more alluring. After spending a half an hour on the train, sitting quietly, getting to stand on the wide open white sands of the shore was a welcome sight. We ran wild, all thoughts of Seifer and his gang gone.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt this exhausted. Lying back on the sand, I let my thoughts wander as the sun dried the clinging remnants of ocean water until I was peacefully dozing under the sun's soft rays. This was turning out to be a pretty good birthday.

By the time we decided to go home, I was completely asleep. When they tried getting me up to head back to the train, I managed to convince Hayner to carry me. He agreed…for a little while. I was just starting to nod off, when I was rudely awakened by Hayner complaining loudly about how heavy I was getting.

"I'll carry him. He looks kinda out of it…"Roxas offered. With some smart maneuvering, I was transferred to his back for the last trek to the station platform.

The dream world quickly swept me away. Dark shadows swirled as a voice called my name. They were telling me that I needed to go back to The Door before it was too late. I tried moving through the darkness, but all the air had vanished from my lungs. My own voice was gone as I tried calling out for help. I wasn't going to make it.

My eyes flew open as I jolted up in fear. Gasping for breath, I looked around wildly. The others looked worried as I gulped air down like I'd never breathe again. It took them a while to coax me back onto the train seat. After a moment, I shook my head and mumbled, "I'm fine."

Which I was far from; it felt like I was going to be sick, and my heart felt like it was beating a mile a minute. Roxas sat next to me and placed his hand against my forehead. I glanced up and received a sudden shock. The golden rays of the sun fell softly onto his frowning face, illuminating his blue eyes making them look like molten lapis lazuli. I felt my jaw drop open.

"You don't seem fine, you're burning up…"

Pence pressed a water bottle into my hand as I blinked up at Roxas confused. My voice shaking slightly, I mumbled, "It was just a bad dream…I-I don't even remember why it scared me."

He froze, his eyes widening slightly. A blush crept up onto my face for some reason, and I looked away. After an awkward moment, he discreetly slid further up the seat so we weren't touching anymore. Thankfully, we were almost home. I don't know what was happening between Roxas and me lately, but I hoped it would be better soon. I didn't like not being able to talk with him like normal.

Stepping out of the station I asked if they'd keep this quiet. They agreed easily and started heading back to my house for a movie night. I was glad. If they told Mom, she'd rush me off to the doctor and I'd be stuck answering question after pointless question. She'd get unnecessarily worked up, and it would be my fault. I promised her that nothing like before would happen again, and I intended to keep my promise.

Piling through the front door, I didn't bother calling out, Mom and Dad wouldn't be home yet. We gathered up snacks and drinks and headed for the basement. Roxas I noticed sat heavily on the couch dragging Olette down next to him. Was he trying to avoid me again? Thinking about that gave me an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. I chanced a second glance over at him as I dismally sat on Olette's other side. His eyes were firmly focused on Pence and Hayner settling on an action flick. Dismally, I too turned my attention to the movie.

Halfway through, Olette slipped off the couch so she could stretch out on the ground. I held my breath and looked at Roxas out of the corner of my eye. Clinging to the armrest, he was determinedly trying to keep as much distance between us as possible. It didn't make any sense. Did I somehow make him mad?

Near the end of the movie, Olette offered to get more drinks and disappeared up the stairs. Roxas muttered something about chips and went after her. What if he was going to leave? Would he really do that to me on my birthday? I wondered fretfully to myself, resting my head sadly against the armrest. I really wished I understood what was going on in his head.

For a lengthy amount of time, they did not come back, and I could feel my tired eyes drooping again. But the cold shock of a cool drink pressing against my neck made me yelp. Jumping, completely wide awake again, I swatted the hand holding the can away and whirled around to meet Roxas' laughing eyes. Like nothing had happened, he was back to normal.

When he rounded the corner, he fell down next to me instead of the opposite end of the couch, and placed the drink in my hand causing our fingers to brush together. By now the other movie had ended so he called, "Put in a sci-fi!"

Settling back, everyone watched as the opening credits started. For a while, I silently tried working out what had happened, but eventually I gave up. I figured that he'd tell me when he wanted to. Suddenly, the warmth from him being so close, and the fact that I was still tired became apparent. Slowly my eyes drifted closed, and I was asleep again.

_Swirling sands as far as the eyes could see. _

_A vast desert stretched out beneath my stumbling feet._

_Every step seemed to take an eternity._

It was dark when my eyes opened again, only the soft light from upstairs drifted down the stairs through the basement door. Mom or Dad must've turned everything off when they got home. Sighing, I nestled back into the couch cushion to sleep. That's when I felt two arms around my chest. Falling still, I craned my neck and caught sight of who was lying behind me. My eyes widened in surprise. When I tried wriggling free, Roxas' grip tightened. I lay there, pressed firmly against his body, my heart thundering away.

Slowly, I realized that he was asleep and there was nothing to be freaking out about. He was my best friend, and we'd slept on the same bed countless times before this. A blush flooded my cheeks with warmth as I felt his even breaths brushing against the back of my neck. Shutting my eyes tightly, I told myself resolutely that this wasn't a big deal. Whatever's been going on lately, it didn't matter if I truly cared about him. Maybe I could enjoy being this close for a little while and forget all the strange anxiety.

Sheepishly I snuggled back, resting my head against his chest. For a moment, I thought he was going to wake up and find us in this compromising position. But he was only pulling me closer in his sleep. Nuzzling the top of my head with his cheek, he sighed and went back to being still.

Tentatively I whispered, "Roxas…?"

Nothing; I took the opportunity to study his hands that were inches away from my own fingertips. In the darkness, they seemed to be almost glowing. Before I could stop myself, I caught up one of his fingers with my own. Smiling, I curled the rest of my hand around his and let sleep overcome me once again.

~Reality Removal 20%~


	19. Note, 37percent, 52percent

As a note, my writing partner and I would like to say that we felt like, since you the reader has no doubt played through the games, some of this story should be "rushed through" so as not to bore you with parts you already know about. So in future, the skipping of visitations of worlds was intended.

* * *

><p>Only two and a half weeks of summer vacation were left. It feels like so much has happened since my birthday. To my horror, I kept feeling my mind start to forget. I couldn't recall things that'd happened two months ago. The right thing to do would be to tell Mom and Dad, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Visions of my Mom crying and Dad looking worn surfaced hazily.<p>

There was no way I would do that to them again. I could handle this on my own.

And then there was Roxas. Something else was going on that he wasn't telling me. He was acting strange, more subdued. I kept looking his way nervously whenever I got the chance, but it was like something else had his attention. And today, he was barely speaking. When he'd failed to respond to another question directed towards him, the others looked to me. They knew I'd be the only one that could get him to talk. We had this sort of connection between us. So, they excused themselves.

He barely seemed to notice their absence, or my presence. My palms began to sweat as I stood and sat on the ground in front of him. As I studied his face, I noticed that he seemed to be worried about something. Blinking, he raised a brow at me and smiled. That's when he finally noticed the others were missing.

"Where'd everybody go?" he asked, twisting around to see if they were in sight.

"Home," I answered, still looking over at him. "Are you feeling okay?"

He started and looked back to me. At first he wanted to lie, but then he changed his mind sighing, "You know me so well…"

A blush crept up, but I didn't look away. He muttered quickly, his own cheeks turning a faint pink, "I haven't been sleeping that great."

"Bad dreams…?"

"No, they're nice…it's just that they're strange," he continued, gazing past me to the soft orange sky and light yellow clouds. "They're always about the same group of kids. I've never met them before though…"

I merely stayed quiet, knowing that if I interrupted now, he wouldn't keep going.

"I'm one of them, but…I can't do anything myself. I'm watching their lives through _his_ eyes." He shivered. "It's scary…"

This was really bothering him. I could see him slipping back into his thoughts again. Deciding that I needed to bring him back, I stood and went back to his side on the low brick wall and sat, slipping an arm around his shoulder comfortingly. After a short pause I mumbled, "Whatever's going on, I'll be here for you."

"Thanks…I guess you're right, they're only dreams."

I only nodded and turned my attention back to the streets. After a few minutes, I released him and sat contently.

"Hey, Fai…?"

"Hmmm?" I replied lazily.

"I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and please don't freak out when I tell you, but I…" he started, the end of his sentence dying off. When he didn't start again right away, I turned to him. I waited, but the silence merely stretched on longer. I was about to say something when he muttered barely audibly, "…like someone."

It was startling how intense my feeling of anger was. The other night on my birthday came to mind. Olette had gone to get drinks and Roxas had slipped off after her. They'd been gone for a while…

"Fai?"

I started and looked around to meet his questioning eyes. He must be waiting for me to say something.

"Th-that's great," I stammered. "D-did you tell her yet?"

Roxas blushed and said, "It's not a girl…"

This definitely didn't make any sense. If it wasn't a girl, then…

"You like a boy too?" I blurted the shock on both our faces plain. I didn't know what made me say that, but I guess I couldn't take it back now. Who did I like, then?

"Too…you mean that you like someone?" he asked flabbergasted.

I nodded mechanically, still trying to piece it together myself. Coughing slightly I asked, "So who do you like…?"

Roxas closed his slack jaw and glanced away muttering, "You wouldn't know him…"

I know everyone in town. If he gave me that kind of an answer, it could only mean that the person he liked was someone the rest of us wouldn't like.

"So who do you like?" he asked offhandedly.

I already forgot I'd professed my love for someone inadvertently. My eyes widened as I quickly searched for an answer. I settled on, "He's just…someone."

Mentally, I kicked myself. It was like my brain had totally switched off! My heart hammered away, and all the feeling in my body had flooded right to my burning cheeks. Saying awkward goodbyes after that, I quickly went home. Mom and Dad were surprised to see me home so early, but made room for me on the couch anyways. The rest of the night was spent watching television as I fretfully thought of Roxas.

~Reality Removal 37%~

Groggily, I went down to the kitchen the next morning to make myself some cereal. As I poured the sugar coated grain into a bowl, Olette showed up. Pushing the box in her direction, I muttered, "What're you doing here so early?"

Her eyebrow rose questioningly as she took down her own bowl. Sitting at the small table I asked, "What's that look for?"

"You mean, you don't remember our plan to train for the Struggle Tournament?"

My blood ran cold. Every year, my house was used as a training hub because of its close proximity to the park. Thinking quickly I said, "I remember…I just thought you'd get here at ten like the others."

Sitting across from me, she shot a half worried, half skeptical look at me before she asked, "How'd it go with Roxas yesterday?"

My stomach clenched uneasily as I thought about what he (and I) had revealed to each other. Trying to pass it off nonchalantly, I said, "He hasn't been sleeping well."

Her eyes fixed on me; she motioned with her hand as if to say, "Go on". It was no use, I couldn't deny it. Sighing I said, "He told me he liked someone…"

"Why isn't that a good thing?" she asked confusedly.

Swirling my spoon through my now soggy cereal I muttered, "Because I don't know who it is. He wouldn't tell me."

Her reaction seemed a little strange to me. Her eyes suddenly burned with annoyance as she muttered something under her breath. I asked astonished, "Do _you_ like him or something?"

I could feel myself waiting on bated breath for her answer. She blanched and said hurriedly, "No, I just…"

The last of her sentence faded as she regarded me quietly. It was my turn to raise an eyebrow at her. Finally she asked, "You seem upset that he likes someone…do _you_ have feelings for him?"

My mouth fell open as I nearly choked on air (if that's possible). How could she say that? Roxas and I were best friends! But…he was the one person I cared for the most. Could it be that…my anger at the news of his liking someone was really because I was jealous?

"I don't…" I started, completely at a loss for words.

She reached out and took up my trembling hand and said, "You two have always had a special bond. I don't think it's strange for you to have feelings for him."

I couldn't argue. She was right. I was in love with him. Putting my head in my hands I groaned, "But he likes someone else."

"Oh, Fai, I'm sure it's only-"

"No, he really seemed to like him," I cut in, knowing that she was going to try to justify the situation for my sake. "But, listen, could you do a favor for me and find out who it is? He seemed embarrassed telling me about it."

Squeezing my hand, she nodded. I couldn't stand not knowing. But, hopefully he'd confide in Olette, and my mind would be at ease. I smiled appreciatively over at her before taking our bowls to the sink. As I was rinsing, the others burst in through the front door, laughing raucously. I got dressed as they ate, and soon we were sparring across the street.

The whole time, I purposefully avoided Roxas to give Olette an opportunity to try and talk with him. Hayner and I were in a match against each other when I caught sight of them both talking in low voices under a nearby tree out of the corner of my eye. It was making me nervous, so much so that after Hayner beat me (which doesn't happen that often) I had to sit and take a break.

Olette, as Roxas moved to take up my spot against Hayner, looked ruffled. I caught her eye and asked silently, "Well…?"

She shook her head. It was like I'd gotten punched in the stomach. I drew my knees to my chest, effectively cutting off our line of communication. Why would he want to keep it a secret so badly? I found that my eyes were stinging for some reason. I rubbed at them angrily and glanced up at Roxas, parrying Hayner.

My chest was feeling tight again. I rubbed it and let my head fall onto my knees, wanting to just go to sleep and dream of flying again. A presence next to me made me lift my gaze. Roxas' concerned eyes met mine as he asked, "What's up? Are you feeling okay?"

I shook my head, placing it back on my knees. He tried getting me to eat a sandwich, and I took it deftly, but food did not sound pleasant at the moment. Trying to keep my own feelings under control so I could act normal, I asked faintly, "Did you sleep okay last night?"

I could feel him looking at me, but I didn't want to see him right now. He answered unsurely, "Kinda…had another dream though…"

Should I tell him I was sorry? Should I ask what it was about? Should I comfort him? Somehow that felt wrong. My head kept screaming at me about that unknown person that he liked, and my heart would break just a little more. And my chest was feeling increasingly painful. I gritted my teeth and clutched the spot on my chest. I had hoped Roxas wouldn't notice, but…

"Are you sure you're feeling okay? You look kinda pale," he said, resting his hand on my shoulder. It felt like the warmth from a fire. Closing my eyes, I murmured into my knees, "Just a little dizzy…"

He tried getting me to eat again, but I refused, so instead he offered his lap for me to rest my head on. Only after a small argument, I gave in. He was still special to me, and I couldn't help but relish in being close. Slowly the uncomfortable pain began to ebb away, and I sank into a state of semi-consciousness.

This dream was more vivid than any other that I'd had before. It was like I was really there, flying effortlessly through the sky, the cool breeze against my face soothing. As I watched, I drew nearer a small town nestled in a valley surrounded on all sides by a range of mountains and a wide river. One house on the edge of the cluster of buildings was aglow with an inner light.

The soft moonlight illuminated the ground just enough for me to land safely in front of the one story building. Suddenly, a feeling of dread washed over me and I felt like turning and running. Seemingly on its own, the door opened to reveal a narrow front hallway. Cautiously I stepped forward, feeling like I knew exactly where to step so as not to make any noise.

The door slamming shut behind me sent a shiver of panic through me. It was then followed by a woman's wail as quick footsteps launched toward me from the dark hall. I cowered, cupping my small hands over my ears to block the sound. When did I shrink? I looked to be only five.

"You are not my son! Get out!"

Tears coursed steadily down my cheeks as I whispered trembling, "Mama please…"

I woke with a start, quickly realizing that real tears were flowing freely. It was like my mind was on overload. Had that really been a memory from my past? It couldn't be. But it was so familiar, and…why couldn't I stop crying? Slowly I began to realize that arms were cradling me against a chest. Through the haze, I could pick out the others all crowded around me, trying to ask if I was okay. But it was Roxas' voice as he held me and cooed gently into my curls that reached my frantic mind.

"It was just a bad dream…" he whispered, stroking my back comfortingly.

Finally the tears stopped, and I was able to push him away. Standing on wobbly legs, I tried to head in the direction of home, but suddenly all the strength in me disappeared. I fell, but Roxas caught me, and then swung me into his arms as he called to the others, "We gotta get him home."

When we burst into the entrance hall, Mom called from the kitchen, "I've got dinner cooking!"

She came around the corner, smiling happily, and then stopped dead. All the color drained from her face as Roxas panted, "I think something's wrong…"

"Put him on the couch, I'll call the doctor!" she breathed, her eyes wide with fear.

Roxas carried me to the living room and set me down, but didn't leave my side. I was glad, my mind wouldn't stop racing as I tried to process what happened. When my Mom bustled back in, she asked, "What happened?"

"He was taking a nap, and I thought he was having a bad dream," Roxas began, glancing down at me. "I tried waking him up, but he wouldn't. He…started crying. Then he woke up on his own, and after that he just…stopped."

Mom was visibly shaken by the news.

Slowly I looked up at her, trying to work out in my mind that what I'd come to realize couldn't possibly be true. Struggling with my words, I finally managed to ask, "Why didn't you…tell me I wasn't…yours?"

She looked like someone had just slapped her across the face as she stood rooted to the spot in front of me. I could tell she was going to try and deny it. But the look of surprise in the back of her eyes was enough for me to understand that what I'd said was true. Hesitantly her mouth twitched up in a smile that was meant to be reassuring, but only looked desperate and said, "Sweetie…I don't know what you're-"

I buried my head in Roxas' chest and cried, "Of course you do!"

It was a few moments before she spoke again. The others stood to the side too stunned to speak.

"W-we thought it would be better if you didn't know," She sobbed, wringing her hands. "The adoption agency told us they found you beaten so badly that you couldn't remember who you were or where you'd come from. They tried everything to get you to speak, but nothing worked."

She paused here, running the back of her shaking hand across her eyes to wipe away the tears and clear her throat before continuing, "You were going to be sent away. But I wouldn't let them. We'd tried so hard to have a baby of our own, but… when we saw you for the first time…we knew you were ours. I thought that if I showed you how much I loved you, then you would come back.

"For three years, we cared for you like any other little boy. Like I would _my_ baby, and you _are_. That first day you spoke to me…was the best moment of my life. Because I knew you were mine, always had been, and…always _will_ be."

Conflicting feelings ran through me as I sat there. My chest tightened, and I found that breathing was becoming a chore. I think I was having a panic attack. My mom moved to put her hand on my shoulder, but without thinking, I cringed away.

Olette quickly took up her arm and led her to the kitchen, saying loudly, "I'll make you some tea!"

Hayner and Pence then rushed to help, trying to distract her. And all I could feel was the pounding of my blood in my ears. When I could, I whispered, "Get me out of here."

"D-don't you think we should wait for the doctor?" Roxas asked worriedly. I pushed myself up unsteadily and muttered, "No…I need time to think…"

~Reality Removal 52%~


	20. 66, 74, 89, 100percent, End

I don't know how he managed, but Roxas dragged me all the way to his little apartment and up to his room. Now we sat silently on his bed, the events of the evening still hanging heavily in the air. Today had turned out much differently than I thought it was going to. The tears thankfully had long since stopped, but I could still feel the dry track marks running down my face.

"You wanna talk…?"

I shook my head mechanically.

"Please just…say _something_."

Looking over at him, I watched as he twisted the edge of his pillowcase anxiously.

"I…I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here. If you f-forgot me…" he confessed, his voice dying out.

I'd never seen him like this before; so vulnerable. Suddenly one of his hands took hold of mine as he continued, "We've been friends for so long…I'd never forgive you for leaving me alone…"

"R-Roxas…" I breathed.

Relief flooded his eyes as he jerked me into a tight embrace. Feeling like I was going to melt into him, I felt guilt wash over me. I gripped the back of his shirt tightly as I mumbled into his shoulder, "I'm sorry for-"

In the next moment, time stood still as one small part of my body felt like it was on fire. Blinking bewildered, I saw Roxas' eyelashes brushing softly against my skin as my lips sent shivers of pleasure down my spine. He was kissing me full on the mouth! When he pulled away, our moment was gone, and I was left sitting dumbstruck. At first it didn't seem like he realized what he'd done, and then it hit him.

"I'm sorry, Faitouru, I didn't mean – I mean that was-"Roxas squeaked, excuse after excuse flooding from his mouth.

I ran a trembling finger over my lips in disbelief; they still tingled slightly. Finally I managed to ask, "Wh-why'd you do that…?"

His face instantly turned tomato red as he muttered sheepishly, "That's because…I like you."

"You like _me_?"

All the pieces were there, but I'd been putting them together the wrong way all along!

"Y-yeah, but…you like someone else, right?"

"No, you're the one I like! I thought you were the one that liked someone else so I didn't tell you."

We both sat in disbelief, taking in everything that was being said.

"Olette was the one that helped me realize that I liked you…" he said, still thinking about it.

"My birthday party…?"

He nodded. That explained why they'd been up in the kitchen for so long and why she'd been irritated he didn't say anything this morning. I smiled and said, "I didn't know until after you told me you liked someone. I guess I got kinda jealous and Olette kinda explained why."

He smiled widely and laughed, "We're both pretty thick-headed, huh?"

I shook my head and laughed also. In a way, it was therapeutic, laughing at ourselves. When it was late, and time for us to go to bed, I felt light and completely exhausted. We didn't bother making up a place for me on the floor, I just lay down next to Roxas on his small bed. It was nice being close to him and knowing exactly what he was thinking about me. We had fallen for each other, and that set my whole body at ease.

Blushing, I put my arm around his waist and snuggled in closer, trying to combat the butterfly feeling in my stomach. Without hesitating, he drew me in. And together we lay there breathing evenly as the dream world came.

_Two boys raced ahead of me on white sands. The sun, high in the sky, beat down on my curls as I chased after them. Throughout the day we played, until finally the moon come out. Shooting stars soon began tumbling from the sky. They scared me. I was afraid one would hit me. The boys looked back amusedly as I backed into the safety of the shade of the palm trees. Smiling, they stood beckoning me back to them._

I woke up to the sound of the clock over the station chiming seven. Sitting up, I tried wracking my brain for what my dream had been about as I looked out at the pastel sky. An hour passed before Roxas stirred. Groggily, when he saw that I was awake, he mumbled, "G'morning…"

Smiling, I snuggled back down under the covers next to him. He pressed his forehead against mine before asking softly, "You been awake for long?"

"Not really…" I answered, finding his hand under the blanket and gripping it. After a comfortable pause, he opened his eyes again. We looked at each other for a long moment before he brushed away the hair hanging in my face. Then, with a groan, he rolled out of bed and stood stretching. He asked casually, "Do you want to call the others and see if they want to meet us at the Usual Spot?"

Deciding to stretch myself, I asked, "Others? What're you talking about?"

He turned and said slowly, confusion knitting his brows together, "You know…Hayner, Pence, and Olette?"

"Roxas, I don't know who those people are," I said, wondering if this was supposed to be some kind of trick.

~Reality Removal 66%~

He was still pacing half an hour later. And I still didn't understand what was going on. He'd described the three strangers and some of the alleged things we'd done together in lengthy detail and informed me that we were best friends. None of them rang a bell, and half of the things I'd done had never involved anyone else but him. I suggested that he needed to get more sleep.

"If this is a joke, it's not funny Fai…" he said dangerously, pausing to glare over at me on the bed.

"Why would I joke about something like this?" I countered, hurt that he was trying to make me out to be a liar. "And anyway…maybe I should be getting home…"

He froze mid-step and turned to look at me. For a moment, I saw a glimmer of fear in his eyes before he asked, "What am I to you?"

That was sudden. It was hard to stay mad when he decided to bring up that kind of stuff. Blushing, I mumbled, "You're my best friend and I…really like you…"

Cursing myself for finishing so lamely, I looked away. Thankfully he only chuckled and sat beside me on the bed, his hand entwining with my own.

"Listen, I'm sorry, why don't we stay here for today?" he asked, putting our heads together. "We could make a really big lunch, and then I can officially ask you out?"

That sounded way better than going to hang out at home with Mom, who was probably just going to make me clean anyway. Nodding, I shoved him playfully before wrapping my arms around his midriff. After giving him a light kiss on the cheek, I ran off to find myself some clean clothes to change into. I could hear him calling my Mom a little while later, reassuring her that I was fine. I should have asked him to tell her hi for me, but figured she knew I loved her. Then I think he called the other people he'd been talking about. When I came back, he had already changed.

The day we spent together turned out to be the best ever. I couldn't remember when I'd been this happy before. And while we were cooking dinner (embarrassing as it was) he formally asked me to go out with him. Of course I accepted straight away, but the words still came out a self-conscious mumble. Now we were sitting on the couch. I was snuggled up to him as we watched the television. I ended up falling asleep against him, and only woke up when he was carrying me back to his room.

I made a small noise that was supposed to come out as "put me down", but ended up being nothing. Realizing that it was useless, I clung to his neck, feeling warm and safe in his arms. As he sat me down, he ran his hand along my cheek gently and placed a chaste kiss on my forehead. I attempted a "goodnight", but that was just as successful as the other utterance.

Before I faded completely, I heard him whisper, "I love you…"

~Reality Removal 74%~

_Gentle waves brushing against the shore…_

_Two moons ever changing…_

_"Looks like we're friends, right Fai?"_

My eyes snapped open. For a moment I merely stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling above me, trying to figure out where I was. This room…how did I get here? Cautiously, I swung my legs off of the bed and stood. There was no way that I was still in Junction. The last thing I remembered was going to my special place under the oak tree by the river after a long day at school.

Making my way out of the room and down the hall, I noticed the glow of golden light drifting under what looked like the front door. How could there be that kind of light outside? Tentatively, I turned the handle and opened the door. Instantly I regretted my decision. I let out a small sound of surprise as my hands flew up to shield my eyes from the blinding rays of sunshine. Mouth hanging slightly open, I gazed out over the rooftops of a sleepy town. This wasn't Junction; at all. Where was I?

"Faitouru…?"

I spun around and peered into the dim entrance. Even squinting, I couldn't make out who was there. For a moment, all I could see was the outline of a spiky haired someone standing stock still just beyond the light, and then all of a sudden, hands clamped down hard onto my shoulders as Roxas' familiar voice asked fearfully, "Fai, do you know who I am?"

Wincing slightly I stuttered, "R-Roxas, what're you-?"

As soon as his name passed my lips he let go, and without warning, gathered me up in a back breaking embrace. He stood breathing heavily as I choked out, "Where are we?"

At first I thought he hadn't heard me. And then he whispered, "I-In Twilight Town…you've got an appointment with a doctor today…"

I'd never even heard of this place before now. Worry crept into my words as I asked, "S-so when are we going back to Junction…? I-I think if we miss too much school we might-"

Roxas' warm smile cut off my stream of words instantly. Gently he tipped my chin back and kissed me. It was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. That's when I realized that Roxas wouldn't take me somewhere I didn't want to go. He knows me better than that. As we broke apart, I placed my forehead on his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. After a moment, his cheek pressed into my strawberry blonde curls.

"I'm sorry I made you worry…" I muttered ashamed. He didn't answer, merely held me closer before ushering me back inside. He told me that my appointment would be in a couple hours, so we started getting ready to leave.

Walking out on the cobblestone streets, I felt extremely at ease. It was like I'd been here before. I smiled up at Roxas as I entwined our fingers together and asked, "Hey, when we get back, you want to study by the river? There's this one section-"

"Faitouru…you'll never forget me…will you?" Roxas asked, cutting me off abruptly. His hair shaded his eyes in a way so I couldn't see if he was trying to be funny or not. Where was this coming from?

"What're you-"I began, but when I caught sight of the tension in his shoulders, I realized that he was being completely serious about this, and my answer was very important. I stopped and pulled him so he was facing me before I began again, "I will never forget you; no matter what happens."

Finally he looked at me. His eyes were shining with unshed tears. Smiling comfortingly, I whispered, "I care about you too much to do that…"

Wiping at his eyes, he nodded and we once again started off up the street. And then I remembered the birthday present he'd gotten me. Blushing slightly, I reached under my shirt and pulled out the chain with the small silver crown. Roxas' eyes widened as I muttered, "Besides, I have this to remind me of you. As long as I have it, I'll always know I'm loved, right?"

At my words, a flash of his normal cheerful self shone through his features. It made me so happy to see him like that. Entwining our fingers together, I turned back to look down the narrow streets and saw a small plume of dust rising into the pastel skies a few miles off. As we continued, I realized that I could hear a dull crashing of rocks accompanying it. That's when Roxas wondered out loud, "I didn't think there was any construction around here…"

And then, the sound of rocks crumbling echoed loudly through the alleys accompanied by an intense tremor grew closer. I gripped Roxas' arm in fear and looked around wildly for the source of the disturbance. What could be causing so much destruction?

"There you are XIII!"

A young blonde man wearing a long black coat stood a few yards away, smiling over at us. Something about this guy reminded me of a predator licking his lips. Instinctively, I stepped in front of Roxas. The man merely laughed and called, "Nice to see you haven't changed Protector!"

"Who are you?" Roxas asked. "What do you want?"

Another loud crash came, this time closer. The man glanced nervously at it.

"He sure did a good job on you," he commented, ignoring the questions as he slunk nearer. "But I _really_ don't have time to play games with you right now."

Snapping his gloved fingers, a dozen twitching creatures sprang up out of swirling shadows, hissing. I didn't waste time wondering what they were, merely spun around, dragging Roxas with me, and took off at a dead sprint. Racing through the alleys, we dodged around more of the things that the man had conjured up. And as we stumbled into the sandlot, I looked back and wheezed, "I think we lost them…"

Roxas stood with his hands on his knees, taking in a great lungful of air. For one happy moment, I thought that we'd gotten away from that psycho and his pets, but when I looked back to Roxas to share a triumphant smile I caught sight of a flash of silver over his shoulder. I ran at him, shoved him to the ground, and felt the sharp sting of the creature slamming its pointed arms into my chest. What little air was in my lungs vanished as I was sent sprawling into the dust.

Roxas' voice cried out in anger just before I felt the creature's spindly arms trapping me and dragging me off. I struggled weakly, but it was no use.

"Release them!"

That was not Roxas' voice. This new person had a deeper tenor, one that possessed authority. The creature, oblivious to the command, did not stop. I strained against it, and managed to catch sight of the newcomer. Another black clad figure, hood raised to obscure his face, stood a few yards away; squaring off against the blonde haired man from before.

"Now, now, don't meddle where you shouldn't," he called to the unknown anomaly, clutching an oversized guitar to his chest unsurely.

The creature tugged me once again. Sunlight broke over the rooftops, hindering my vision. In one fast movement, the hooded man disappeared. I squinted and watched as he reappeared above the blonde man, swinging an impressive weapon down on his head. With equally fast reflexes, the blow was blocked. And then, the hooded man was gone again.

Roxas cried out next to me. Craning my neck, I saw the hooded man cutting him free. And before I could register his movements, I fell down on the ground next to Roxas also released from the clutches of the silver creatures. As fast as I could, I scrambled to his side and put my arms around his shoulders. We both watched in awe as the battle took place before us.

"They belong to the Organization!"

"No, they belong to the Keyblade Wielder!"

I held onto Roxas tightly and closed my eyes trying to will us back to Junction where it was safe and calm. I cringed as Roxas called out, "We don't belong to _anyone_!"

Glancing around at the streets leading out of the sandlot, I saw that they were all blocked by a ring of those creatures. How were we going to get out of here? Fire erupted inside me, I felt like I would do anything to get Roxas, my precious someone, to safety; even if I had to get hurt in the process. Thinking fast, I wrenched Roxas to his feet, and said, "We have to get out of here!"

Without waiting for him to answer, I took off, heading straight for one of the undulating monsters. I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I thought I could fight it off bare-handed. Maybe I thought it would somehow take pity and move out of the way. But in any case, I found myself flat on my back, one long gash running up from my hip to the middle of my chest.

I could hear voices, but they were muffled, like my head had been stuck under water. When Roxas fell by my side, clutching me to him, I tried choking out, "Run…"

Before the words could pass my lips, Roxas was wrenched away. I tried reaching for him, but then I too was pulled up. A sudden feeling of drowning came over me as my vision inked out. Cold and pain like I'd never felt before pressed in all around me. Finally, I let it overpower my senses, and I fainted.

~Reality Removal 89%~

The cool surface against my cheek felt wonderful on my burning skin. My entire body felt like it had just gotten done getting beaten. What happened to me? I wondered as my eyes opened a crack.

I was laying face first on a pure white floor in a pure white room that seemed endless. How did I get here? All I remember was that Roxas had been with me, and now…he wasn't. Fear gripping me, I pushed myself up and looked around at my surroundings blearily, and numbly reached for the chain around my neck that held the pendant he'd given me. But it was gone!

Frantically, I looked around the floor on either side of me, but couldn't see it. No, it couldn't be lost! I needed that so I could always remember how much we cared for each other! Two men standing on the other side of the room, conversing heatedly caught my attention. Finding the necklace would have to wait. Clearly we were in danger, and I had to find Roxas so I could get us out of here!

"…they knew where to find him! Did you know about this?"

"My apologies, the witch informed me of The Protector's…Organization only shortly before they arrived. I did not know the reality removal would lead…."

"But that means they know where….how are we supposed-"

"No matter…the Nobodie will be complete within the next few days….hold them off for that long."

I didn't have time to sit here listening to these two bickering about their problems, I had to find Roxas. Silently, I got to my feet and stood shakily looking around the room for any kind of an exit. That's when my gaze fell on Roxas lying unconscious, propped against a wall, a girl leaning over him, eyes closed in concentration as she did something to him. It felt like my head had been thrown into a churning ocean.

Letting out a sudden cry, I lurched towards the girl and knocked her away from him. She fell looking completely shocked that I was awake. Shaking Roxas slightly, I tried waking him up, but his head merely lolled against my chest. Hands clamped down on my shoulders, trying to pry me away from him.

"Release him, Faitouru!"

"What did you do to him?" I screamed hoarsely, tears coursing down my cheeks. "I have to take him home! **_Roxas_**…_wake up_!"

"Witch, did the Protector disrupt the rewrite?"

She shook her head fervently, eyes still wide with fear as she squeaked, "But he'll need to go back in the data world."

"That will have to do. Prepare the Protector for the finalizing of his removal."

By now, the two men had overpowered me. I kicked and screamed and bit, but couldn't break free. When they finally managed to subdue me enough, the girl took a step towards me, her eyes filled with sorrow.

I called Roxas' name desperately, over and over again, but he didn't wake up. I wasn't going to get the chance to look into his eyes one more time, or tell him how much I loved him. The girl's cool fingertips brushed against my skin. Suddenly, my body fell limp, darkness creeping into my vision as she whispered, "Your path is at an end…find yourself again. He is waiting for you to unearth a lost destiny…"

~Reality Removal 100%~

~O~

~Normal Capacities Re-Initializing~

~O~

~Standby~

~O~


	21. Part Three: Bonus Chapter

All it had taken was seven days for my life to turn upside down. All those times I blacked out, Axel showing up telling me confusing things, those creatures coming out of nowhere, it didn't make any sense. I was a normal teenage boy. I just wanted to be with my friends.

Last week when I heard Hayner, Pence, and Olette calling for me from the street, I rolled out of bed, and knew something was wrong. Deep in my gut, I could feel it. Even if I couldn't figure out what it was exactly. All of the people I knew acted strangely around me. Even _I_ wasn't myself.

"Faitouru…" I whispered, looking at the childlike drawings hanging on the walls in the all white room of the mansion. I knew that the story was that he'd been sent away to be taken care of by his doctors, but…it just didn't seem right. It was like I was blocking something, and no matter how hard I tried remembering, I could only get back small pieces at a time. And looking at the picture seemed to jar something.

"Don't you want to know the truth about who you really are?" Namine asked quietly.

Not taking my eyes from his picture I said, "No one knows me better than me."

"Of course…"

"But, I don't get what's been happening lately."

"About a year ago…some things happened, and I had to take apart the memories chained together in Sora's heart – you know him."

"From my dreams, right?"

"Yes…It's taken me a long time, and you've been affected by it." She continued softly. "You and Sora are connected. And in order for Sora to become completely whole again…he'll need you."

"_Me_? What for?"

"You hold half of what he is."

Finally turning from the picture, I looked across the room to where the small blonde haired blue eyed girl sat gazing over at me curiously. Gulping, I strode to the empty chair at the other end of the table nearest me and took a seat. When I found my voice again I asked her, "I feel like now I don't know myself at all, and…I guess I would like to know. What do you know about me, that I don't?"

"You…" she started, casting her eyes down ashamedly. "You were never supposed to exist, Roxas."

"_What_…?"

"I'm sorry…I guess some things really are better left unsaid."

My vision grew blurry. I still had questions. But, in the next instant, I heard Pence calling my name, bringing me back to reality. We were standing outside of the old mansion, looking in through the second story window, trying to find out if the rumor of Twilight Town's seventh wonder was true. It was said you could see a girl there even though no one lived in that house anymore.

Drawing my lips into a thin line, I realized that I was the only one that could see her…just like I was the only one that could see the ghost train, and Axel, and those creatures. If Faitouru was here, I knew that he would've believed me.

"C'mon, let's go tell the others this one was bogus too," Pence said, sighing and shaking his head as he headed back towards town.

Before coming up here, Olette told me she and Hayner were going to check in with Fai's parents and see how he was doing prior to starting on our independent study paper for school. Maybe we'd get some good news, I thought.

Of course that wasn't the case. Turns out his Mom was in tears when they'd shown up. Fai was supposed to have been back that morning. I felt like someone had reached into my chest and ripped my heart right out. Hayner put a heavy hand on my shoulder as his eyes filled with tears. My life was slowly falling away around me.

The next morning when I arrived at the Usual Spot, I discovered that my friends couldn't see me or hear me. And as they ran out, they passed right through me. Axel showed up, telling me that if I didn't cooperate and go with him, he would have to destroy me. Just as he was about to attack though, he was frozen and a voice boomed out telling me to go back to the mansion. Unable to think of what else to do, I obeyed the bodiless voice.

Namine was waiting for me as I entered the white room in the mansion. Would she give me the answers I so badly craved?

"What's going to happen to me now?" I asked, gripping the table tightly as I looked pleadingly into her eyes. "Just…just tell me that. Nothing else really matters anymore."

"You are-" she began, but stopped as her body froze, and slowly fell away into small pieces.

"Namine?"

"There's nothing that has the power to change your fate." A man wearing red said ominously, appearing in the far corner of the room.

Narrowing my eyes at him I said harshly, "Even if that's true, I still want to know!"

"A Nobodie doesn't have the right to know," he barked, glaring over at me. "Nor does it have the right to _be_!"

"But…what is a Nobodie?" I cried, balling my hands into fists.

Suddenly, a swirling black portal appeared at the man's side and Namine stepped out, her eyes wide with desperation as she called, "Roxas, Nobodies like us are only half a person. You won't disappear! You'll be whole!"

What was she talking about? I was going to disappear? She was then dragged back through the portal, leaving me alone in the mansion. I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't care what anyone of these people said. I wanted to go home…and be me.

But who am I? Could I even do what I wanted anymore? My entire existence was never supposed to happen. Would I have to continue hurtling towards my terrifying destiny and only hope that maybe I could make this come out right, and get back to my life?

Standing shakily, I made my way through the old mansion and opened the floor of the library to reveal the secret stairway leading down into the darkness. Taking a deep shuddering breath, I began down the steps, advancing through the dark hallways. An eerie feeling of familiarity washed over me as I came upon the next room. It was cool and silent aside from the steady hum of computer monitors.

The longer I stared at the screens, the more I could feel my head pulse in agony. Images began flashing through my mind as I collapsed to my knees. I saw Axel, trying to tell me that I should stay in the Organization and forget the Protector. The hazy image of Faitouru, his two large violet eyes gazing up at me sadly appeared, making me remember exactly what had happened a week ago. Just when I thought the pain couldn't get any worse, it fell away, leaving me spent and panting on the ground.

That boy had been all that I'd had in that world and this one; just being around him made me feel like I'd had a heart. Clenching my hands into fists, I whispered under my breath, "Faitouru…"

When we'd been in The World That Never Was, he'd been Noxeon, but when we'd spent the summer together here in Twilight Town…he'd been my Faitouru. I remembered the secret smiles and confessing of love we'd shared. Most of all, I remembered him disappearing.

Beating my fist into the dusty floor I recalled that day I'd last seen him…a mere seven days ago. They'd made me think there was something wrong with him. I'd been trying to take him to the doctor. We were ambushed. He got hurt. When I woke up in my bed the next morning to the calls of Hayner, Pence, and Olette down in the street below, I could only remember the false memory of his parents telling me he would be back in a week after seeing his doctor. Now…I can remember seeing his crying face as his hand reached out desperately to my limp form on the ground in Namine's room in this cursed mansion. Back then, they'd made it fade. What had they done to him after that day?

Unsteadily, I stood as anger engulfed my entire being. The only thing I could think to do was destroy anything I could get my hands on. A flash of blinding white light encased my hand for a moment as I wasted no time in summoning my Keyblade. Screaming, I swung down again and again on the console, cursing everyone and everything that led up to this.

These people, whoever they were that put me here, would pay. This was my life, and I wasn't about to let them get away with messing with it, or the people that I cared about.

Axel attempted trying to stop me again in the next room, but I merely fought with anger on my side. And after our final words, I continued on through the labyrinth of underground hallways. My heart thumped against my chest as I came upon a hall that housed a line of capsules running its length.

Peering in through the opaque glass proved to be impossible. If I was going to see who was in them, it would have to be a different way. With a newfound determination, I pushed on, stepping through an automated door into a stunningly pure white room. Using my free hand to shield my eyes, I stumbled in and looked around.

Easily three times larger than the other capsules had been an enormous pod stood filling the center of the room with its brilliance. I couldn't help but gaze up at it in wonder. I almost didn't even see the small glass sphere standing separately from the structure a little ways away. But when my eyes fell on the figure suspended in a curled position inside, the air in my lungs suddenly disappeared.

It was Faitouru. I rushed to the glass and slammed my hands against it, finally finding the breath to call out to him. I might as well have been beating a pillow. His eyes remained shut. But as I pressed closer, I could see small tears escaping from behind their closed lids. They had been keeping him here this whole time while I ignorantly let them feed lies to me. Pressing my forehead to the cold glass, I closed my eyes and whispered sadly, "I'm _so_ sorry…"

"Glad you could make it, wielder of the Keyblade..._He_ will awaken soon…" the man in red from before called over menacingly.

My body trembled in response. Whirling around to face him, I gripped my Keyblade even tighter.

"You must return your existence to _Him_, Roxas. When _He_ wakes…you'll disappear."

It wasn't fair. My whole body shook as I asked, "…why?"

"Because you hold the other half of his power, and…" he answered, his eyes narrowing coldly. "…because you are a Nobodie."

"SO WHAT?" I screamed, charging the man that was so calmly condemning my existence. I swung with all my might, but felt to my surprise, the Keyblade pass through nothing. I stood frozen, unable to think or do much of anything. That…coward wasn't even here to do the job in person. My existence was worthless to him.

"My apologies…" he muttered. "…this is only a data based projection."

Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as I turned and called over my shoulder thickly, "I hate you…**_so_** **_much_**."

The projection began to fade as his voice echoed, "Make sure you pass on your hate to _Him_ as well…he's far too nice for _His_ own good."

Swinging again I cried, "No, my heart belongs to _me_!"

The sound of my tears dripping to the floor below bounced off the bare walls of the room. And then, the large capsule opened with a loud hiss. Glancing one last time over my shoulder at Faitouru, I took a step towards the boy that had been plaguing my dreams for so long.

"…Sora…" I breathed, closing my eyes as I let the sound of it fill me like a warm breeze.

Guilt, regret, and a number of other things ran through my mind as I thought of everything that I would be losing. Smiling sadly up at the boy still dreaming peacefully above me, I whispered sadly, "It was _so_ real to me…"

The only thing that had been real in this fantasy of mine had been Faitouru. And even then I wasn't sure anymore if what I'd been feeling had been programmed or not. But despite that…I was sad to be losing him. Opening my eyes one last time, I could feel myself fading.

"You're lucky…" I directed at the slumbering Sora. "…looks like my summer vacation's…_over_…"

_Where am I…? I feel so at home._

_Turning, I could make out something in the distance. Could it be…? For a moment, I gazed over at my other self and smiled. He looked lost. Maybe I could help him get back to where he needed to be?_

_"…Sora?"_

Goofy and Donald had been the ones to wake me. It wasn't long before I shook my head to clear it of the fog and asked where Faitouru was. Glancing around nervously, I spotted the small glass sphere and immediately jumped down to it. Sure enough, there inside was my Protector and best friend. But…was he hurt?

I could see small droplets of tears floating beside him, as well as the hint of a long thin wound running up under his shirt. Panic clenched my heart, making it difficult to breathe. Motioning wildly I called to the others, "Help me get this open, quick!"

Every second wasted trying to figure out how to work the stupid thing was another second my mind felt like it was exploding from stress. But finally, the capsule opened. Carefully, I reached in and supported his lifeless form in my arms. As I brushed the hair away from his face I whispered under my breath, "Please be alright…"

"Fai…!" I called, trying not to jostle him too much.

The others pointed at the long pink scar running under the hem of his shirt, and as I glanced down, I saw that the end stopped a little off center on his chest. What could have happened to him? The last I remember was chasing Pluto to that strange Castle.

"Wake up, Fai!" I said, this time noticing movement behind his closed eyes.

"Are you hurt?" Donald asked, also noticing the signs.

Groaning, he laboriously began shifting different parts of his body slightly. When he was finished, his eyes blearily opened as he asked hoarsely, "What happened…?"

Seeing him awake made me happier than I'd ever admit to anyone. My arms trembled slightly as I pulled him closer and pressed, "Are you hurt? Are you alright?"

His eyes finally came into focus as he gazed up at me. As his amethysts met my sapphires, it felt like he was a bright sun warming me from the inside out. Relief flooded me as an inner voice said, _'You've found him again. Everything's alright now.'_


	22. Part Four: Twilight Town

_I've been dreaming for a long time…_

_I think it was about you._

_But, we're awake now…_

_So c'mon, let's go find the others._

~O~

Sounds seemed muffled. I couldn't move at all, every part of my body was numb. I tried opening my eyes, but they wouldn't budge.

"Fai…!"

That voice sounded close. Again, I attempted to open my eyes, but they felt swollen and hurt too much.

"Wake up, Fai!"

Finally, I managed to open them a crack. A blurry outline came into view, surrounded by a sea of white. No wonder I was so annoyed at the insistent sound of his voice…I'd recognize that spiky head of hair anywhere. What kind of trouble has he gotten me into this time?

"Are you hurt?" Donald asked from somewhere off to my left.

Groaning, I began moving different parts of my body mechanically. Nothing felt too bad except my chest and eyes. Like someone had taken the time to single those parts out specifically and then stomp on them as I slept. Or maybe it was because the Keyblade-Idiot had done something stupid again, and I'd had to pay for it. Focusing more now, I could see Sora looking down at me worriedly as he held me.

"What happened…?" I asked groggily, noticing that he was shaking slightly.

"Are you hurt?" Sora repeated, our eyes meeting. A jolt of electricity ran through me, making me gasp in surprise. His hold on me tightened as he asked fearfully, "Are you alright?!"

"Y-yeah, I'm…" I started confused, glancing to the others. Just those small movements made me realize why everyone seemed so worried. Dry track marks where tears ran down my cheeks became apparent. Raising a shaking hand, I wiped at them in disbelief.

"What's going on?" I whispered, more to myself than the others. The strength returning to my limbs quickly, I managed to wipe furiously at my face as I asked angrily, "What'd you do?!"

"What makes you think _I_ did something?!" Sora asked incredulously as he relinquished his hold on me. He motioned to the unfamiliar white room around us and said, "We woke up here just before you!"

I ground my teeth, resisting the urge to hit him. Instead, I clutched at my still aching chest and looked down under my tattered shirt at the long pink line running from my chest, across my torso, and to my hip. That was definitely new, but not the source of the pain. I realized suddenly that the fact that Sora was yelling at me was making me feel…upset. Shaken by this sudden news, I directed my next question at Donald and Goofy, choosing to ignore it for the moment, "How did we get here?"

They shook their heads in response. Glancing at the white room, I noticed another capsule resembling an enormous flower, and what I supposed to be my strange cocoon; a perfect, small, and entirely transparent sphere. I turned back and asked, "Well…what's the plan?"

"Look for Riku and the King I guess," Sora answered, shrugging.

Running my sleeve over my raw, sensitive eyes again, I stood and grumbled, "Then let's go…"

~O~

We decided that the first step to figuring out where we were was to start exploring. Making our way out into a dark hall, we soon came upon a room filled with computers whirring away. I narrowed my eyes at them and felt something stir in the furthest reaches of my memories. But just as I was stepping closer to investigate, Sora said that he'd found a way out. I threw one last look over my shoulder at it before trailing after the others heading out into a vast library.

My suspicions didn't let up until we emerged into an entrance hall that looked like it had been deserted for years, judging from the amount of cobwebs and dust. There were no footprints leading back the way we came, leading me to believe that no one else had been here to put us in that weird state of rest for a while…or at least not to check on us. Turning to the others I noted this and asked, "No one remembers how we got here, right? So who could be behind this?"

"Maleficent's gone…I don't think Pete would be smart enough to think up this sort of plan on his own…" Goofy muttered thoughtfully as Donald added, "And whoever put us here is just letting us walk right out!"

"Does it really matter?" Sora interjected from his spot by a smashed display case. "We're safe and sound!"

He grinned stupidly and started for the exit, the others trailing after him. I shook my head and also followed smiling to myself at his thick-headed-ness. Once out in the open air, we excitedly began our reconnaissance of this strange world.

Bells tolled in the distance as we emerged from the large hole in the wall into a bright bustling little town filled with smiling people. As we strode through the streets Sora glanced back at us and said, "You know…I feel like I've been here before."

"What's it called?" Donald questioned with a snicker.

"Hmm…guess I'm imagining things." He said with a shrug, turning into a small alley where a large tarp hung over the entrance to something. "Wonder what's in here…?"

Once I'd brushed past the tarp I saw three kids lounging in a small cluttered room filled with all sorts of odds and ends. As we came to a surprised halt, a blonde boy called over from his lounging position on the couch, "What do you want?!"

I immediately bristled at his tone, but Sora just as oblivious as ever answered simply, "Uh, nothing, just wondering what was back here."

"Now you know." The same boy answered, waving his hand at us in a shooing motion. "This is our spot."

"Umm…" a round black haired boy mumbled, staring up at us shyly.

"Yeah?" Sora answered curiously.

"You're…new around here, right? I'm Pence."

"Hayner, nice to meet you and all, but we got stuff to do so catch ya later." The blonde said, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he stalked past us and out of their little area. I made sure to give him a glare the whole way out.

"My name's Olette." The brunette girl crammed between a stack of boxes and a pile of what looked like rags called over as she stood. Making her way towards us she continued, "Hey, did you finish up the summer homework yet? Independent studies are the worst, huh?"

"Homework?!" Sora asked truly frightened for a moment, before I rolled my eyes at him and shook my head.

"Hey, what're your names?" Pence asked, also drawing nearer.

"Oh sorry," Goofy said, pointing as he introduced. "We're Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Faitouru!"

As he finished we watched the two share a quick glance before Olette explained, "We just met someone who was looking for you."

"He sure seemed in a hurry. He had a black coat on so I couldn't see his face, but he had these big round ears – " Pence started, making circular motions above his head to represent the ears.

"The King!" we all cried out in unison.

Sora clutched Pence's shoulders tightly as he asked, "Where'd you see him?"

"A-at the station," the boy answered, his eyes wide.

"Thanks!" Sora called over his shoulder, already disappearing out into the streets. I took off after him. Once outside the station, we looked around for the King, but couldn't find any trace of him. Just as we were getting ready to head somewhere else, however, a creature suddenly popped up out of nowhere. Readying my Keyblade I gaped up over at these silver undulating things and asked, "What kind of Heartless are those?!"

"Those don't look like Heartless." Sora said, coming to a halt next to me, his own Keyblade ready.

Guess more had been going on while we slept than we'd like to think. We fought them back ferociously. It became increasingly apparent that we'd been out of the game for a while. Every muscle in my body felt stiff and unused. It wasn't long before all of us stood panting, unable to continue. And just when I thought we were done for, something amazing happened. One of the creatures began to spasm, and then lunged at Sora. I only just put myself between them when a small black clad figure sprang in, cutting down swiftly on our attacker.

"Your Majesty?!" we all cried in unison instantly recognizing his ears.

"Shh…you gotta board the train and leave town! The train knows the way. Here," Mickey whispered, offering up a small orange pouch to Sora. In a blink, he was already taking off again. Donald and Goofy gazed forlornly after him as Sora asked slightly taken aback, "The King…was that really him?"

I reached out and took the bag from his limp hand (for safe keeping, knowing him he'd lose it in five minutes) and saw enough munny for us all to buy tickets, and…a small blue crystal. Holding out the bag to let him look I answered, "It had to be."

"Now we know he's okay!" Donald cried happily, doing a quick little jig with Goofy in celebration.

Studying the small crystal with rapt fascination, Sora asked, "The King was locked in the Realm of Darkness, right?"

"Uh-huh." Goofy answered, still grinning.

"And we just saw him, so if the King is here, then that must mean…Riku's here too!"

"Definitely," I answered, understanding what he was getting at.

"Well, I'm going to look for Riku, and then I can take him back home! Kairi's been there waiting for us." Sora called happily, his face lighting as he clutched the blue crystal in his hand tightly. "What are you three going to do?"

"Gawrsh Sora, do you even have to ask?"

He merely laughed as he continued, "Whaddya say guys? Let's stick together for one more journey!"

I grinned up at him as we all nodded. Sora then glanced around and asked after a moment, "To…where again?"

All the respect points he'd earned just then totally flew out the window as I smacked my head into my palm. Trying to keep my cool, I growled through clenched teeth, "We have to board the train…"

"Oh yeah…"

Sighing, I started towards the station, shaking my head as I motioned for him to hand the crystal back over. Just then, the three kids we'd met back in town, Hayner, Pence, and Olette all came running up. I grabbed the crystal just as they neared. I moved to the ticket window and asked for four tickets while the others started our goodbyes. The whole time I felt Olette's gaze zeroed in on the small orange pouch. Maybe she was a kleptomaniac? Sending her a nervous glance, I tucked the pouch safely away and followed our little group up to the platform. At the top Sora turned and said sadly, "I can't help feeling like we won't see this place again…"

"Hey Sora, you sure we haven't met before?" Hayner asked, scratching quizzically at his chin.

After a moment's pondering Sora shook his head, "Positive…why do you ask?"

The blonde turned to share a secret look with his friends before shrugging and answering, "I dunno…"

And then it was like a switch got pulled inside me. All three of them waved happily, the sunset casting a warm glow from the high windows all around them. My heart wrenched in my chest at the sight. We'd only just met them, but I was acting like I was saying goodbye to people I'd known for years. At that moment, I felt the sting of tears well up in my eyes. Sora, however, was the one that took our farewell to a whole new level. Tears already poured steadily down his cheeks.

Olette asked concerned, "You okay?"

He started and rubbed at his eyes while muttering, "Y-yeah, dunno where that came from…"

"Pull it together," Hayner laughed, thumping him on the back.

The others merely smiled nervously as Olette offered, "Come back anytime!"

I pushed everyone through the doors before anything else out of the ordinary could happen. Once safely in the compartment, we turned and waved farewell one last time. That was when I overheard Pence comment over the loud whistle of the train, "Weird bunch…"

"Yeah, but..." Olette asked thoughtfully, "Doesn't it seem like we've met Sora and Faitouru somewhere before…?"

And with that, the doors were closed, and we were pulling away. I sat down heavily, opposite from a bickering Donald and glanced up at Sora, still gazing sadly out the little window. Standing, I strode over to his side. Sora met my gaze and muttered, "You know…I'm sad."

Frowning, I tugged out the pouch again and rooted around in it before handing over the blue crystal that he seemed to like so much and muttered, "It's like they said…we can come back."

Sora looked down at me again, a small smile brightening his features as he nodded and took the perfectly round gem holding it out so the light from the town growing further and further away glinted in it.

"What's that?" Goofy asked, breaking off from the disagreement with Donald.

"It was in the bag the King left." He answered, his eyes shimmering as he whispered, "It's beautiful…"

For a split second, as the last of Twilight Town's light faded, I thought I saw someone else's reflection in the window.


	23. The Mysterious Tower, Hollow Bastian

~O~

The train, after a long journey through the unknown, came upon a castle atop a floating island over a sea of clouds. Striding out, I took a deep breath and followed the others. What we found was surprising to say the least. A guy named Pete stood muttering to himself, clearly up to no good, and was equally surprised to see us. Upon hearing that Maleficent had been long taken care of, he rushed off, insisting that we were lying.

Now we turned our attention to the tower, infested with Heartless, and battled our way to the top through rooms and stairwells that seemed to move of their own accord. As we entered the top room, we were greeted by an old man, whose eyes held vast amounts of wisdom and might.

"I am glad you made it safely."

In unison, Donald and Goofy knelt respectfully muttering, "It's been a long time Master Yen Sid."

The wizard waved us in as Donald glared over his shoulder at us, "You two show some respect! He's the King's Master!"

Sora merely blinked as I shot the oversized duck my own disapproving glower and asked, "What…do you mean _bow_?"

When neither of us moved, Donald looked ready to kill, and would have pounced on us if it wasn't for Master Yen Sid calling, "Enough, you must be tired from the long journey."

I looked over at the powerful man and saw him motioning to a line of chairs in front of the desk he was stationed at. Ignoring Donald, I went to the chair and sat. When we were all opposite him, the man studied us. After a moment, he began explaining what had been going on while we slept. Of course there were the Heartless, but our newest enemy were the Nobodies; Organization XIII headed them and was our greatest threat. While he understood our want to continue looking for the King and Riku, he said that this newest danger was of far greater importance to the safety of all the worlds.

"You must stop this Organization XIII from reaching Kingdom Hearts…" Master Yen Sid finished solemnly, making me shiver.

"Man, just when I thought I'd get to go home…" Sora sighed. "I promised Kairi I'd find Riku and bring him back home. She's been waiting for me all this time…"

He leaned back in his chair and muttered, "I guess she'll have to wait a little longer."

"Before you go, you will need more suitable traveling clothes," Master Yen Sid commented, motioning to an adjoining door. "Those look a bit too small for you."

All of us started and looked Sora over to discover that he had in fact, grown considerably. His eyes caught mine and I immediately glowered up at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking. He was taller than me by a good four inches; finally looking and sounding like a grown-up.

"Gawrsh Sora, you sure are growin' fast!"

"Yeah, I guess so…hehehe!"

Flora, Fauna, and Meriwether, Master Yen Sid's fairy helpers granted Sora an entirely new outfit that held special powers. They demonstrated for us, and Sora was engulfed in a bright light, only to emerge radiating power and holding two Keyblades. Laughing with delight, he spun around to show off to Donald, Goofy, and me standing on the side, and asked waggling his eyebrows, "What do you think? Pretty good looking, right?"

Rolling my eyes, I turned and headed back out to where Yen Sid stood waiting by a nearby window. The others followed, still fawning over Sora's new outfit. As we neared, the old wizard called over, "Because of your previous endeavors, the worlds have returned to their original states. That means the pathways between them have disappeared."

"How are we going to get around?" Donald asked dejectedly.

"Do not fear," Master Yen Sid continued. "If what the King suspects is proven to be true, then the worlds have prepared new pathways along which you may travel. These may be utilized by unlocking special gates. How these gates are opened, I'm afraid I do not know…

"However, the Keyblade will serve as your guide. Though the worlds may seem far apart and out of reach, they nonetheless remain connected by invisible ties. As do our hearts. But be warned. As you proceed, the Heartless and the Nobodies will be using their own paths: corridors of Darkness to travel from world to world. They may be attempting to link these pathways to the gates between the worlds."

"We understand," Sora said.

"Now then…go forth. Everyone is counting on you." The master finished, motioning regally to the Gummi ship stationed outside the tower.

Nodding graciously, we all rushed out the door to our newest adventure.

"Amazing!" Sora cried, looking around our new ship.

I too stood in awe. The inside turned out to be surprisingly roomy. And the two separate cabins were bigger than the broom closet we'd had to bunk in before. Sora insisted that we share one, which I rolled my eyes at, but consented reluctantly. As I was getting settled, Sora asked from across the room, "Hey Fai…think Kairi will look different when we see her?"

I glanced over at him and said, "It's been a long time, I'm sure she's grown up a bit."

"I hope she isn't taller than me now!" he laughed.

At this moment, as I gazed up at him, I felt my heart warm. It was like lying under the sun on a hot beach; something about it felt amazing. A smile of my own turned up the corners of my mouth as I said jokingly, "Haha, like how you passed me up…?"

I froze as the words hung in the air. Did I really just say that? I sounded like a completely different person just then! Glancing nervously over my shoulder, I saw Sora staring at me concernedly. When he saw me looking he asked, "Are you feeling okay? You've been acting a little strange…"

"W-well…what about _you_?!" I shot back, throwing a potion down and hurrying quickly out into the cabin where Donald and Goofy were busy charting the course to our first world.

"Where're we heading?" I asked gruffly, making Donald glower.

"Hollow Bastian," he answered, turning his beak up at me.

Back to the last place we left. I nodded and moved to a chair in the corner and remained there for the rest of the trip, brooding and avoiding the Keyblade Idiot as much as possible.

Hollow Bastian looked a lot different than when we'd left it. The ruins of Maleficent's castle sat broken and crumbling against the horizon. I remembered when we'd first set foot there, and Sora had devastatingly had his Keyblade taken from him. It seemed like such a long time ago now.

We arrived in a courtyard surrounded by newly erected shops. The streets were surprisingly busy with life, which made me wonder if the Heartless really were as bad as Master Yen Sid made it out to be. I continued studying my surroundings until Sora called over, waving frantically, "Hey, Yuffie!"

Sure enough, as I turned and peered at where he'd directed the call, I caught sight of her familiar face. She beamed in recognition and bounded down to where we stood. Grabbing me around the neck in a suffocating hug she cried, "No way! What are you four up to? It's been what, almost a year?"

Gently I peeled her away as Sora replied, "I guess so, how're Leon and the gang?"

"I'll take you to our new base of operations so you can ask them yourself!"

Leading us through the newly constructed streets and alleys, we came to a small house, and inside stood Merlin, Cid, Leon, and Aerith. When my eyes met with Leon's I couldn't help but grin widely. Being the older brother I never had was something I'd always cherished. Keeping calm, I made sure not to rush over and smother him in a hug, instead I said, "Good to see you."

"I see you've done a good job of keeping the Keyblade Weilder safe."

His eyes sparkled with happiness as I neared the center of the room where he stood. Nodding, I grinned once again and spoke briefly about how they'd managed to control the Heartless. Proudly, they demonstrated the system Claymore that they'd developed to repel them.

"It's been really great," Yuffie said. "But now they're gathering somewhere else…"

She glanced to Leon, who took the opportunity to ask, "Since you four are here, maybe you could take a look at this?"

Without hesitation, Sora agreed. Trying to keep my irritation under control, I pinched his cheek and said, "Don't just go volunteering people without asking!"

Grinning, he broke free and went after Leon who'd already started heading towards the door. Once on the trail leading to the site, Leon strode up to my side and said, "You know…I've missed our sparring matches. You were always a tough opponent."

Ruffling my hair he smiled and called back to the others, "It's just up here."

Turns out the Heartless were gathering in a canyon just outside of town. My lips set in a hard line as I took in their sheer numbers. Sora's mouth hung completely open as he said in awe, "It looks like a black river…"

There was no way we could handle such a large volume. Not now when we were getting used to fighting again. Glancing up at Leon I muttered truthfully, "I don't know if we can take on that many…not now at least."

To my surprise, both Leon and Sora nodded in agreement. Deciding to head back to the others, we turned and started up the slope. A voice however, cut down ominously from the ridge above, "You're doing well."

"Who's that?!" Sora called out, his Keyblade flashing to his hand. We all glanced around wildly until we focused on black clad figures standing over us on a high ledge.

"The Keyblade…" a second unknown voice said. "A truly marvelous weapon, were it only in more…_capable_ hands."

"It's Organization XIII!" Goofy cried, pointing.

"Now we can settle this!" Sora answered, nodding to me to be prepared for a fight.

"Ah…I see our Keyblade Weilder needs a little reminding of just who he's dealing with."

Reminding? What could he mean by that? We'd never seen these guys in person before today. After sharing another look with Sora, we both turned and glared up at the Nobodies. One of them standing on the platform above let out a sudden burst of laughter and said, "That's right, _he_ used to give me that same exact look!"

"We're not interested in your speeches, no matter how much they don't make sense! Come down here and fight us!" I yelled, but to my astonishment, none of them even twitched in my direction. All their attention was focused on Sora.

"It's too bad we couldn't have gotten along...maybe next time?" the Nobodie that stood at the center said, raising his hand. As they began disappearing into Dark Corridors Nobodies sprang up all around surrounding us. I cursed and blocked an attack before I heard one of the Organization members call down, "Be a good boy now!"

We fought against the hoard, making sure they didn't get past us into the town, and only when the bailey stood empty again, did any of us bring up what had just taken place. Sora, scratching the back of his neck muttered, "That was weird…_who_ gave him the same look?"

"Y'know I think he was just tryin' to confuse ya," Goofy said, helping Donald back to his feet.

Still looking a little concerned, Sora laughed and answered good naturedly, "Yeah, you're right, there is only one of me."

Trying to keep all my confusion in check, I convinced them to head back to the others and check in. Once there, Aerith bequeathed us each with a card. On it was written: the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee Honorary Member. As soon as the card touched Sora's fingertips, it suddenly began to emanate a blinding light and floated high into the sky. Could it be that this was what Master Yen Sid had been talking about?

Sora's Keyblade, right on cue, shot a string of light and a loud click resounded. We all gazed at his Keyblade while Sora muttered, "Now I get it, that was the Gate!"

Spinning around, he looked to the others and said hurriedly, "Sorry everyone, but we got to run! Other worlds are calling!"

Folding his arms over his chest Leon answered, "Those Organization guys…they look tough. Be careful out there."

"See you soon!" Sora nodded calling back over his shoulder as he dashed away, Donald and Goofy on his heels. Before rounding the corner, I turned and waved, catching one last glimpse of my friends before they were gone.

Piling back into the Gummi ship, we made a course for the next world. Rubbing my tired face roughly as I slumped onto my bed, I sighed. The past few days had been tiring. I was getting grumpy, and I could still feel the pain in my chest. The part that bothered me was that I couldn't understand why it was acting like that. Seeing the Organization…I couldn't help but wonder if their blatant ignoring of my presence meant anything. Not only that, but I still felt like I was forgetting something important.

Slowly, I laid back and closed my eyes, allowing myself to drift into a restless sleep.


	24. Land of Dragons, Olympus Colisseum

_This chapter is dedicated to those with Cancer. Know that I, my writing partner, and God love you._

* * *

><p>My eyes flew open to the sound of Sora loudly exclaiming that we had arrived at our destination. Grumbling, I sat up and started pulling out potions to take with us.<p>

"I really hope Riku will be there…" Sora mumbled, staring at the wall opposite us vacantly. Just then as I turned to look at him, I felt myself involuntarily start moving to comfort him, and not in a way that seemed normal for friends. I glanced over and bit my lip. I'd almost let something embarrassing sounding slip out. Instead, I pressed another potion into his hand, reminding him that we had a task to accomplish. Jumping slightly, he muttered an apology and extended his hand to accept the bottle. As I placed it into his hand, our fingers brushed, sending a shiver running up my spine.

Without thinking, I recoiled as if I'd just been burned. Our eyes met for a brief moment before I stiffly got to my feet and rushed from the room. Avoiding him until we set foot on the world became my top priority. Whatever kept happening around my best friend I didn't understand, and based on how uncomfortable it made me, I didn't want to.

Tall stalks of bamboo and clear blue skies greeted us. Leisurely we strolled through the paths, keeping our eyes peeled for any signs of Heartless or Nobodie activity. Sora seemed to notice my avoiding him and made a point to keep away from me. My heart sank as I started wondering if I'd been a little too harsh.

When we neared the top of a small hill, Donald suddenly pointed to a small clearing where a young man wearing armor stood cowering under the enormous form of a giant Heartless. Sora, once he caught sight of it, whispered excitedly, "Let's run up from behind and catch it by surprise!"

Donald nodded eagerly before dashing after him while Goofy called after unsurely, "Gawrsh fellas, maybe we should look before we leap?!"

By now, I thought I'd be used to their stupidity, but I guess not. Rolling my eyes, I started after them, making sure to keep Sora close in case anything really bad came out at us. With a loud cry, Sora and Donald burst into the clearing. Instantly, the giant Heartless disappeared, and out popped a small, familiar, red creature. It jumped into the soldier's arms as both let out a cry of fear.

We all came to a halt as we studied the two. Donald asked, "Is that Mushu?"

"Hey Mushu!" Sora cried brightly once recognition dawned on his face. "We missed you!"

The little dragon popped out and cried, shaking his fist threateningly, "Yeah well you better hope I miss you, or else you're-you're…you four?"

"Do you know them?" the soldier asked in a clear, soft, woman's voice. I blinked at that and realized that I had mistakenly taken her for a man.

"We used to kick all kinds of bad guy butt together back in the day!" Mushu called as he bounded over, patting the top of my shoe chummily. "Isn't that right fellas?"

I merely stepped back, causing him to lose his balance and fall. There had really only been maybe two occasions where we'd summoned him for help when things got a little hectic. Sora laughing answered, "Yeah, something like that!"

Now the soldier was gazing over at us warily. Sora noticed and offered his hand, "I'm Sora, what's your name?"

"I'm Mu…Ping!" she cried, coughing and deepening her voice.

"Mu-Ping?" Donald asked skeptically, crossing his arms and raising a brow.

My own had drawn together in confusion as I wondered why she would be trying to hide the fact that she wasn't a man. But I supposed it was none of my business.

"J-Just Ping! I am the son of Fa Zhou!" she continued, trying to puff her chest out which I suppose she thought looked manly.

"How do you know Mushu?" Sora asked, unfazed.

"He's one of my family's guardians."

"We didn't know we were borrowin' someone as important as a family guardian!" Goofy exclaimed.

"That's right!" Mushu said, clambering back onto Ping's shoulder. "And that puts you four up to your eyeballs in debt to Ping here! And right now, it's payback time!"

I rolled my eyes, but remained silent. I'd learned that after this long, it didn't matter if we searched for trouble, or helped out some weirdoes along the way, trouble usually managed to find us in the end. Sora nodded his head in agreement as they told us about Ping wanting to join with the Imperial Army.

"It'd be easier to fit in if I'm with guys like you." She added eagerly.

The others looked at her quizzically before Sora asked, "What do you mean 'fit in'?"

Talk about thick-headed. Just as I was about to share in my discovery, Goofy surprised me by stating, "You're pretending to be a boy aren'tchya?"

The reaction from the other two was almost worth the headache I was getting; almost. Donald started spluttering while Sora cried, his voice cracking slightly, "You're a…girl?!"

She fidgeted under their gaze but nodded and asked hopefully, "You didn't notice?"

The two of them merely shook their heads as Mushu laughed, "Don't get too worked up – those two would fall for anything!"

Practically took the words right out of my mouth, I thought as I hid my smile and started off after Ping's retreating back.

After getting into a fight with a couple of soldiers from the camp, and defeating some Heartless, the Captain was ready to enlist all of us…except Ping. I explained quickly that we were merely passing through. Sora then asked if we could help prove to him that Ping was army material. He consented, and ordered us to clear the path up the mountain so he could evaluate her performance.

Doing what we were told, we cleared a path and it wasn't long before we found ourselves in a small village. Shivering as I looked around at the snow covered rooftops I asked, "Do you think we've gone far enough?"

"Hey!" came the sudden cry from across the village. "Come quick!"

We all started and followed the voice to a path leading even further up the mountain. Mushu stood next to the wall and explained that he'd just seen Shan Yu, the leader of the Huns, go into a nearby cave.

Ping fidgeted restlessly glancing over her shoulder the way we came and asked, "Do you think we should report it?"

"It's the perfect opportunity for you to show Captain Shang what you're made of!" Mushu replied. "Besides, he'd be gone by the time you got back here, and then you'd really look like a fool!"

Glaring down at the guardian I said, "There's no way I'm letting us go in there! Who knows what could be waiting for us? I don't want to risk anyone's neck for someone's approval!"

"Oh c'mon Fai, we can take him!" Sora laughed, already leading the others after Mushu.

"Stop calling me that," I called, stomping after him. "I'm being serious, what if it's a trap?"

He merely continued on. For one moment, I thought my irritation would be able to fuel my resolve of staying put, but in the end I started after him. And like I suspected, it was a trap. The Hun had been expecting us. As we looked around the cavern, we were blocked in. No sooner had I called out my Keyblade, than dozens of Heartless filled the room. It was a miracle all of us made it out in one piece. The problem now, was that I wished I hadn't.

Flames still ate away at the destroyed buildings in the village. Shan Yu must've ransacked the place while we were stuck inside. We also found the Captain and a few other men wounded. Ping rushed to his side and held him while he explained that Shan Yu did in fact attack and headed for the summit. And instead of Sora being the one to heroically declare that we would stop the Hun, it was Ping.

We went as fast as we could and confronted Shan Yu at the summit where we fought against endless waves of Heartless. And in a rushed series of events, the Hun himself came charging down, the soldiers from before appeared armed with a rocket that Ping snatched away and shot at the mountain side causing a huge avalanche. Ping dashed back, grabbing the Captain as she passed and called for the rest of us to take cover. When the snow settled, there was no sign of Shan Yu. As we stood by, Ping – whom was discovered to in fact be Mulan – was found out to be a woman, and ordered to leave on pain of death.

Now it seemed that we would be going our separate ways, but just as we were heading down the mountain, Mulan caught sight of dozens of Heartless appearing on the snowy ridge below where the avalanche had come to an end. Shan Yu emerged and began leading his army towards the Imperial City.

"We have to warn Shang!" Mulan cried, taking off.

That proved easier said than done. Since Mulan had lied about her identity, the Captain was determined not to believe her. Sora was angrily trying to help when Donald let out a cry and pointed wildly to one of the palace roofs. Shan Yu himself stood balanced there, the hawk perched on his shoulder letting out a piercing shriek. Heartless appeared all around us. Both Sora and I got out our Keyblades and got ready for battle.

"We'll secure the courtyard, go protect the Emperor!" Sora called over his shoulder. When the Captain made no move, I barked out, "That's an order!"

Sora caught my eye, and I offered up a small smile. Maybe I could work at getting the weird feelings between us to finally stop. It _felt_ like we were back to normal, fighting against our enemy, but I couldn't shake the feeling like there was this vast amount of distance between us. Or was it even that? One by one the Heartless fell until we joined the others by the great double doors leading into the palace. Shan Yu was attempting to break past the barricade. When he caught sight of us, he turned and called up the powers of Darkness and engaged us in fierce battle.

In the end, we defeated him and Mulan was named the savior of China. Sora, after the sword of Shan Yu began glowing, activated the next gate that would take us to our next world: Beast's Castle.

Sora was devastated to hear that the Beast had changed so much. We went through every layer of the castle to help save him and eradicate the Organization's presence. We were able to reconcile Belle and the Beast, and open another gate to the next world. All the while, Sora and I barely talked with each other. We seemed to be getting along alright, but at the same time I was starting to wonder how long it would last before something else happened that would push us apart.

As we neared Olympus Colisseum, I noticed some strange readings on the screen. I asked Donald what he thought of it, but he wasn't sure what it was either. So, preparing myself for anything, we traveled down to the world to see what the matter was.

I was confused at first by our initial location. Did we mess up in transport somehow? The place we stood in was dark, and filled with the dull sound of dripping water and a light breeze. Donald cast a quick spell, conjuring up a map of the area and told us that we were in the Underworld beneath the Colisseum. It explained the depressing décor at least. I thought as we started heading in the direction of the doors that would lead us back to the surface world, battling Heartless along the way.

Putting a hand to my head, I felt a wave of dizziness well up. It was like my body wanted to grind to a halt and let whatever power there was down here take over. Fear shot through me at the thought of someone here trying to attack from the shadows, but when my attention was suddenly grabbed by the others pointing out a woman being attacked by Heartless, I snapped out of it suddenly. Shaking my head to rid it of the strange sensation, I went after them into the fray. When the last of the Heartless were gone, I stepped back and looked at the woman gazing down at us with an eyebrow raised.

The fireball of sarcasm was called Megara, and turned out to be Hercules' girlfriend. Since finding out that we were friends with her guy, she explained that Hades was sending so many foes for Hercules to defeat, that he was getting very weak. Not only that, but his Olympus Stone had been stolen, and she suspected Hades was behind it.

"We're already down here," Sora offered consolingly as her bottom lip pouted in concern. "Why don't we go pay Hades a visit?"

She nodded saying thickly, "'Wonder Boy' can't seem to say no to the challenges, so…hurry, before he gets himself killed."

So of course at Sora's request, we started down further into the Darkness. As we wound through countless caverns and around dark pools, I could feel my body growing weaker again. It felt like I was walking right into a Dark Corridor, but a very weak one. I tried hiding it. The others didn't seem to be affected by the Darkness as much, and if they caught on, we'd have to turn back and getting this far would have been a waste. So I pushed on. But when we did make it to Hades' lair, he was already in heated battle with someone. We tried helping, but the man informed us that we were too weak down here. This was Hades' territory. The only option was to run.

By the time we were nearing the exit, I could barely stand up on my own. I could feel the powers of Darkness seeping into every pore of my body, weakening me. But the way out was locked. Sora's eyes found mine as I leaned heavily against the door, breathing raggedly, and widened. I saw concern flash into them, and suddenly his brows furrowed determinedly. Pushing Goofy to my side, he quickly ordered him to support me while he dashed back a ways and leveled his Keyblade at the door, using it to unlock it.

I offered up a weak grimace that I'd meant as a smile as he ran back and took up my other side, helping me stumble through. We were almost to the other side when a giant crash reverberated around the cavern. Cerberus, the giant three headed dog, stood there bearing its multiple sets of teeth. Auron, the man who'd been fighting Hades with us, rushed out at that moment, motioning for us to make a run for it. Sora moved to continue on, but when the sound of Auron's sword clashing against teeth rang out, he made a frustrated sound and started running back. At that, a surge of energy rushed through me, giving me enough strength to follow after him.

My legs felt hollow as Sora helped me limp towards the surface. The battle had been surprisingly short, but I was glad in any case for it to be over. Once outside, it was like the difference between night and day. I could breathe again! We rested up, passing potions between the four of us until the doors into the coliseum opened revealing Hercules. As his eyes fell on us he exclaimed happily, "When did you four get here? On another adventure?"

"Oh, yeah, you know," Sora began nonchalantly. "Tracking down friends, wiping out some Heartless…"

By the tone he was using, you'd think he was talking about our grocery shopping. I rolled my eyes but chose to remain silent. Hercules grinned broadly and said, "Junior Heroes, always busy!"

Sora's face instantly fell at the reminder that we were still labeled as only juniors. I stifled my laughter into the brim of my potion bottle and tried not to smirk over at him. But he still saw it, and glared. Hercules told us that we could find Phil for some training inside, so we went in, Sora whining with Donald about their lack of being appreciated. As we came upon the satyr, he was busy arranging clay pots in the open arena. Not bothering to glance back at us, he spoke as if he were talking to Hercules. Only when he heard our laughter did he turn.

What happened next made my entire world flip around and around until it completely didn't make sense. As soon as his eyes fell on Sora and the others, he smiled, but when he gazed up at me, it was in pure terror. We all looked down on him, waiting for sound to come out of his working mouth, but he merely continued to stare up at me. I looked to a confused Sora questioningly before I stepped forward, reaching out as I asked, "Are you-?"

Before I could finish, he suddenly jerked away from my hand and stuttered loudly, "F-Follow me…!"

With that, he hurriedly shuffled off through the pots, explaining in a jittery voice the rules of the training exercise. I stood rooted to the spot, my hand still suspended in air. He hadn't wanted me to touch him, or speak to him. What could have happened that made him so afraid of me? I mean, I'd never liked him very much, and neither of us had been very friendly with each other, but…how could that so drastically have turned into _this_?

I could feel Sora's eyes on me, and I knew he wanted to say something, but I had no desire to talk it over right now; not when my heart was still feeling bruised. Instead, I muttered something about us needing to hear the rules, pressed my lips into a thin line, and trailed after the satyr.

Phil acted like I wasn't even present the entire time I was there, and I kept my mouth shut. The whole time I ran over and over in my mind the last time we'd seen him. It had been before we left to defeat Ansem. He had given us some last minute battle pointers. Nothing stuck out to me that was out of the ordinary though, and it was tearing me up inside.

When we finally finished, Hades appeared to tell us that Megara had been kidnapped, taken to the Underworld, and that Hercules was scheduled to fight against the Hydra. I kept quiet while we headed back down into the Darkness, ignoring the feeling of my body growing weak. We fought through the Heartless until we came to a cavern where an Organization member stood studying a nearby door. As we neared, he turned and peered over at us quizzically, pushing back his hood to reveal a young tentative looking blonde man.

"Ah, it's you!" he cried, looking between Sora and me. "Wait a sec…Roxas, right?"

"Excuse me?" Sora asked. He looked to me and raised his brow in question. I merely shrugged. I had no idea who this guy was trying to talk to.

"Oh, it's no use…" the blonde Nobodie said defeated, pulling a small piece of paper from his pocket.

"What are you talking about? Who's Roxas?" I asked, feeling the name roll off my tongue surprisingly easily.

"Let's see here," the Nobodie muttered to himself, completely ignoring me as he looked down at the paper he held. "'If _the subject fails to respond, use aggression to liberate his true disposition..._' Right, got it."

Before any of us could respond, he'd flipped an inner switch and called out his weapon, grinning widely. All of us prepared for his attack, a barrage of water forms that were surprisingly fast. Only when he staggered away did I stop to breathe. He pouted and called over to Sora, "Roxas, come back to us!"

So he _had_ been addressing Sora by that name…but why, I wondered as he disappeared into a Dark Corridor. Sora shook his head and picked up the item that had fallen from the Nobodie as he retreated. It was the Olympus Stone! Grinning in triumph, Sora lifted it over his head and let its powers wash over us. Supposedly it was supposed to help us not be so weak down here but…it didn't work on me. I couldn't let them know, however. We had to get Megara back. There was no time to feel sorry for myself.

Sharing a hesitant smile with Sora, we headed towards the door the Nobodie had been studying earlier and went through to find a rock that held an engraving of Megara on it. Pointing out the small keyhole, I stood back and let Sora unlock it, letting a portal fall through the ceiling. We went through and found Meg, bound. Hades was there, but surprisingly didn't put up a fight. Instead he disappeared, leaving Pete to send his Heartless after us.

Luckily, Hercules came to ease the burden of keeping Meg safe and defeating the Heartless. She refused, however to leave him. Finally, Sora convinced her to go back to the Coliseum, and instead let us deal with the Heartless while they helped Herc. That was when I tugged on Sora's sleeve and panted ashamedly, "I don't know how much longer I can last down here…"

"You go back with Meg, don't worry; I've got Donald and Goofy with me." Sora replied, his eyes full of concern. I immediately wished I hadn't said anything – he'd be down here alone – but when I tried to argue, I felt my vision suddenly tunnel, and I staggered. Sora steadied me before I could fall, but the message was clear. I had to go back if I wanted to walk out of here alive.

"Be careful…" I whispered, clambering onto Pegasus behind Megara. I didn't even have it in me to tell him not to do anything stupid.

In a matter of minutes, Meg and I were back on the surface. We landed in the courtyard outside of the arena, and stood waiting anxiously. That is, until a sudden burst of stone and metal came raining down around us. I jumped back nearly avoiding a chunk of column and saw the Hydra that Hercules said he'd taken care of standing upright and angrily tearing the place apart. I ordered Meg to take cover and called out my Keyblade quickly moving to defend. But it was no use. I was still too weak, and the Hydra was already decimating everything.

When Sora and the others arrived, I was ready to collapse. But I was happy to see that they made it out alright. Goofy handed me potions and we quickly went to work defeating the creature once and for all. It took what felt like an eternity, but finally, it fell down.

"Oh, here, I almost forgot," Sora said, digging in his pocket. "The Olympus Stone."

Before it could be passed between Hercules and him, it began to glow and rise into the air. Another portal found and opened!

"Thank you all," Meg said smiling down at us.

"It was nothing; just let us know if you need us again." Sora answered cheerfully, also smiling.

Donald jumped and cut in, "Yeah, that's what hero's are for!"

"When did you three make hero?" she asked, her brow rising skeptically.

I stifled my laugh, as Sora said quickly, "That's beside the point…we have to hit the road anyways! See you guys!"

Both Herc and Megara waved goodbye, but Phil stood next to them completely silent. I noticed that he had been staring up at me with a look of distrust in his eyes the whole time. Sora knelt next to him and asked, "Phil?"

He started, gave me one last glare, switched his gaze to Sora, and then leant forward whispering something into his ear quickly before calling, "Take care you guys! Come back for more training!"

I tried getting Sora's attention as we headed back to the Gummi ship, but his eyes had taken on a dark quality, and he wouldn't acknowledge me. Not until we were in our room alone that is. That was when he turned on me, and fixed me with a glare. It was a first, and something I _never_ expected to see. I sat in disbelief as he asked harshly, "Is there anything that would make me not trust you?"

"What kind of a question is that?" I asked the hurt clear in my voice. "Of course not! Why would you even think that?"

"Before we left Phil told me that I shouldn't trust you. And you saw how he was acting around you. So you tell me…"

Never before had I felt more hurt. It was like with every word he was driving a stake further between us…straight into my chest. I felt my blood run cold as his eyes looked at me like a stranger. It was all too much. Before I could even get a hold of myself, tears suddenly threatened to fall. Biting my lip, I buried my head in my hands, wanting to escape that look. My shoulders shook with the effort of keeping them back. And then the sound of Sora above me taking in a deep shocked breath caught my attention. After a moment he stuttered out in disbelief, "Fai, I-I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me! Please don't cry!"

The bed next to me sank as he sat down, wrapping his arms around my shuddering frame. Why was I even crying?! Yell at him for being an idiot like always! It's his fault for thinking I was some sort of traitor! I tried pulling away, but he held on until I'd stopped pushing. A small whimper escaped my lips as I sat there. His fingers ran soothingly through my hair as he whispered, "I didn't mean to accuse you…I just…don't know what's going on. I'm sorry…"

He had turned into a different person…again. The Sora I knew would have said something idiotically charming by now to cheer me up, not hold me and whisper comfortingly in my ear. But, strangely enough…all I wanted was to stay like this. I never wanted to hear him say that he didn't trust me ever again. If he did…my heart might break.

What was I saying?! This whole situation was all wrong! Not thinking, I wrenched up and shoved him back. I gazed down into his hurt eyes in shock. My mind scrambled to process what exactly was going on with me while the look on his face filled with so much pain; you'd think I'd told him I hated him.

"Sora, I-" I began shakily, but was cut off as he stood and promptly strode out of the room.

I spent the rest of the journey alone, curled up on my bed wondering just what the heck was going on.


	25. Disney Castle, Port Royal

Disney Castle, the home of King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy was exactly how I'd pictured it. It was like walking into a cartoon. Everything was bold, bright, and mostly made no sense. I couldn't help, despite my horrible mood, feeling a bit like a kid on the inside. The Heartless however, didn't seem to have any scruples wrecking the childlike wonderland.

We fought our way to the Queen in her library. At our arrival, she smiled warmly up at us, and exclaimed, "You must be Sora! The King told me all about you in his letters. He said you're a very brave young man."

Sora smiled appreciatively and exchanged pleased looks with the others. My heart sank a little lower as he purposefully ignored me.

"And you're Faitouru," she continued, her eyes meeting mine. "Sora's very lucky to have a friend like you."

Just when I thought I couldn't feel any worse. Chancing another glance at Sora, I saw him standing stiffly, glaring in the opposite direction from me. I cursed myself yet again and gave the Queen a nod out of respect. She glanced between us worriedly, but thankfully didn't comment. Instead she asked Donald and Goofy to make sure the rest of the castle was safe while we headed to the Audience Chamber.

They agreed and swiftly left, leaving Sora and me to escort her through the Heartless infested halls. It was only when we'd taken her safely to the throne did she reveal a hidden staircase that lead to what she called the Cornerstone of Light. This was what usually kept the castle safe from Heartless, but now that the room it was held in was full of large ominous thorns and Darkness, it couldn't. That was when Maleficent appeared.

But how could she be here?! We defeated her over a year ago!

Regarding us sneeringly, she revealed that more was wrong with the Cornerstone than the Queen could ever realize. When we tried to find out more, the witch disappeared. It was then that Queen Minnie asked us to take Donald and Goofy back to Hollow Bastian to find Merlin. Hopefully he would know how to find out what was wrong with the Cornerstone.

The ride there was quiet and full of tension. I couldn't sleep, so I ended up staying out in the cockpit and watching blankly as the worlds passed by in a flash. When we got to Merlin, he teleported us all back to the basement where the Queen still stood next to the Cornerstone. He quickly diagnosed that we would have to travel through the Door he created for us and defeat any evidence of evil there was on the other side. We quickly gathered last minute supplies, and then went through the door with a quick well-wish from the Queen.

Emerging on the other side, it was a shock to discover that all of us looked like we used to in the past. A small part of me was secretly pleased that I was taller than Sora again for a moment before I switched my attention to the task at hand.

Finding whatever was messing with the Cornerstone and putting an end to it, turned out to be more complicated than any of us realized. Our little adventure into the past ended up taking us all through the land, meeting the old Pete _and_ the present Pete, and even the old King or had it been the present King? In the end we saved the Cornerstone, and sealed the door that the Pete from our time had been using to get to the past.

When we arrived back in the basement, the Queen thanked us profusely before accompanying us herself to our Gummi ship. Bowing in respect, we turned and started loading in. But before I could set one foot inside, the small sound of her throat clearing caught my attention. Turning, I saw her gazing up at me expectantly, clearly wanting to talk.

"Yes your majesty…?" I asked unsurely as I stepped down next to her.

"I would like a word," she said, her eyes glancing over my shoulder before she strode to a more private spot. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Sora staring after us.

Bowing my head slightly, I trailed after her and waited with my lips tightly sealed shut. Her eyes looked me over a moment before she said softly, "You seem to be carrying a burden, Protector. Sora too seems strained…"

I winced slightly, not able to think of any way to deny this. She was more perceptive than she let on, and I would not insult her intelligence by pretending that it was alright between us. Standing before her, I thought of Sora's cold stare following me now wherever I went. My stomach churned uncomfortably.

"You two are so close…do not let the unknown keep you both from each other. Yours is a team better together than apart." She said, her hands closing over my own comfortingly.

She was right. Sora was my best friend. More than anything I wanted to keep us together. I had to put aside anything that was making me act strangely and make sure I was doing my duty. The Queen offered me one last smile before leading me back over to the Gummi ship. After another quick bow, I headed inside, hearing her call after me, "Watch out for him Protector!"

I stood in the control room of the ship, concentrating hard on the mess that had accumulated on the tables. Donald was up front steering us toward another world while Goofy was in the back asleep. The sound of Sora's familiar footsteps alerted me to his presence, but I did not turn around. For some reason I still felt almost shy around him. And maybe it was still a bit of shame for acting like an idiot before.

"What'd the Queen want?" he asked curtly.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I tried descrambling my thoughts enough to form a complete sentence. Finally I muttered, "Just wanted to make sure I looked after you…"

"I don't need to be looked after," He replied. Slowly I turned to face him, and in his eyes I saw what he really wanted to say: '_I don't need **you** to look after me_.'

Spinning on his heel he stalked away and nearly slammed the door to our room closed, leaving me standing there stock still. The pain in my chest had swelled to the likeness of a knife plunging into me, and the familiar sting of tears welled in my eyes.

"What happened to us…?" I whispered thickly, rubbing angrily at my eyes as I strode to a nearby chair and sat heavily. When the sound of the engines roared to life, I finally allowed myself to give into the pain and cried.

Dark clouds drifted lazily in the night sky overhead. I looked around at the bleak new world and only saw filth lining the muddy cobblestone streets. All around us buildings loomed, their windows glowing faintly with candlelight. Everything seemed sleepy, but at the same time, something told me there were things waiting for us in the shadows. Slowly the four of us walked towards town from the docks, keeping our eyes open for any sign of Heartless or Nobodies.

Rounding a corner, I found myself face to face with a man that reeked of alcohol and body odor. His eyes narrowed mischievously as his arm slipped around my waist, his other hand clamping down onto my wrist. I tried telling him to let go but I was interrupted by him slurring loudly and grinning yellowed teeth, "Keep my bed warm tonight, and I'll pay you handsomely…"

I struggled against him with disgust as Sora called behind me ferociously, "Let him go!"

"Bugger off you grog-headed – ack!" the man growled, the last of his sentence cut off by a low gurgling in the back of his throat. I cried out as I felt the edge of a blade burst through the man's front and graze the skin on my middle. His grip loosened before falling heavily to the ground face first at my feet.

The four of us looked up in time to see a man gnashing his teeth at us and cackling manically as he dashed off into the streets. All around us the houses were being pillaged by _pirates_! People screamed, glass broke, fires raged. But we kept our sights on the one trying to escape. He was bound to be leading us back to whoever was in command of this raiding party, and we needed to stop them!

Like we predicted, the pirate led us straight to Pete and a whole group of angrily armed pirates. As we locked into battle with them, however, it quickly became apparent that these were no ordinary pirates. Each time we slashed one down, they would get back up. Somehow they were impervious.

Finally I stumbled back, breathing heavily, realizing that this was an unwinnable fight. Should I try to get the others out of here and risk losing Pete? The moon at that precise moment decided to emerge from cloud cover, bathing the area in light. I gasped as I looked back up at the men. Their flesh had fallen away to reveal rotted bones protruding from their rags. Pete called over from his spot by the ship, "You've let them see you! Be careful, their Keyblades…!"

The pirates merely guffawed in his direction, clearly not threatened by 'two bilge rats' and 'two bloody brats'. Sora smirked and muttered to himself, "Thanks for the tip, Pete! Come on!"

We charged again, this time, our strikes proved effective. We defeated our enemy and chased after a retreating Pete back into town. After a few minutes, we lost sight of him, but found someone to help. His name was William Turner, and he needed our help to save Elizabeth. When we reached the docks she had been taken to, we were too late. Hope was dwindling fast from the young man's eyes.

A stroke of luck came about when another pirate named Jack Sparrow offered up his services in exchange for his debt being expunged with the young blacksmith. Soon we were on our way to rescue the damsel in distress across the turbulent waters in a ship we 'borrowed'. When we landed on the island that held the Pirate stronghold, we battled past Heartless and pirate lackeys clearing the way for Will and Jack to go in and save Elizabeth. I sat on the deck with the others for what felt like hours before Will finally returned with Elizabeth in tow…but not Jack.

Noticing the concerned look in Sora's eye, Will shook his head and muttered, "He's gone…"

I hung my head sadly as we made the ship ready for the trip back across the treacherous waters. But as we were on our way, I caught sight of something appearing on the horizon. Squinting my eyes and shielding my line of vision with my cupped hands, I saw another ship chasing after us, and it was flying the pirate skull and cross bones. Will, when I pointed it out, said that there was no way they could catch up. He was wrong. In a matter of minutes, the ship was attacked by the pirates, and we were overwhelmed.

I knelt pinned on the deck between Sora and the menacing Captain Barbossa by a sneering pirate. His blade cut into my neck slightly as I tried breaking free. For a moment, I thought I saw Sora's eyes widen in fear, but just then Will stepped forward, ransoming his own life in exchange for our freedom; which was granted, with the addition of dozens of Heartless to keep us occupied. Now that Will needed our saving, Jack – who'd climbed on board with the pirates and sided with us – turned the ship around and made for the pirate's island yet again. Battling past Heartless and Pirates, we soon came upon Barbossa who was now out of options…or so we thought.

"Pete, you blasted scallywag, step forward!" the Captain called out.

"Told you you'd be needin' ol' Pete!" he said, snapping his fingers.

From out of the shadows came a large Heartless, scuttling over the walls at impossible speeds. Barbossa's cackling laughter filled the cavern, sending it echoing confusingly off the rocks, completely disorienting me. Before I could realize what the Heartless was planning to do, the cave was engulfed in Darkness.

My knees instantly buckled as I gasped for air that had suddenly been stripped away. Collapsing to my knees, I could feel my body screaming in agony as ice cold shadows pressed in on me from all sides. The sounds of the others moving away from me, trying to find both Barbossa and the glowing yellow eyes of the Heartless reached my ears as if from a mile away.

"Yer doom be at hand boy…" Barbossa's voice hissed from the Darkness near me. He took a fistful of the front of my shirt and hauled me into the air. "You _and_ your sorry swab of a crew."

For a moment, it felt like a white hot poker was jamming its way through my midriff. I realized after a stunned moment that it was the edge of a sword running through me. As soon as that became apparent, all the pain rushed in a thousand fold, making me spasm and gasp. I tried crying out, but no sound escaped past the void of Darkness. Releasing me, Barbossa let out one last evil chuckle before slithering away.

I crashed to the ground, curling around myself as I tried to stop the pain. Thankfully shortly after, the Darkness fell away illuminating the Grotto once again. I lay on the stone floor, face first, gulping down air, trying to get my head to stop spinning. Blearily, I reached down with a shaking hand and felt that my shirt was wet with warm blood; my blood. The weak healing spell I was able to utter before the Darkness swallowed me up again barely made any difference. All I could do now was lie there, my hand pressed to the deep wound, and hope someone stumbled across me soon.

Only when I'd lost all hope, hovering in the shadow thinking only of the pain, did anyone find me. I felt the cure spell wash over me like a welcome summer breeze, bringing me back from the brink. Focusing on the blurry outline of Sora above me, I saw his eyes full of panic. He uttered another cure spell, and my hearing was restored.

"Faitouru, please wake up!" he called, his voice thick with emotion.

All I could think was that this was the closest we'd been to each other in a while. It felt so good to be held in his arms, I just lay there. Finally though, I managed a small nod of my head to let him know I was alright. His eyes flooded with relief, and propping me up against a nearby boulder said hurriedly, "Drink this, I have to get back now."

Throwing one last look over his shoulder, he ran back to the fight. A few moments later, I heard the last cry of the Heartless as it was defeated. Barbossa too let out his own cry of frustration. Worried about my friends, I willed my legs to lift me up. Struggling into a standing position with the help of the boulder, I watched as they stood in a standoff against the pirate.

Donald sat a few feet away dazed, while Goofy and Sora attempted to land blows. They were having little success. The Captain was still too fast for them. His blade came dangerously close to Sora's cheek, and even from here I could see the thin line of blood that was drawn. Angrily, I made a noise, which drew the attention of the pirate. Using the opportunity, the others managed to land a few good hits, injuring him. The crazed pirate's eyes now locked onto me, a scowl turning down the corners of his gaunt mouth.

Before they could stop him, he'd managed to sidestep past and quickly materialize at my back. For the third time that night, the air to my lungs was cut short. My fingers dug into the man's arm as I struggled to pull it away from my throat. Placing his sword tip threateningly at my back, he called over, "Lay down your swords you dogs, or I'll gut this whelp here and now, so help me!"

"Let him go!" Sora bellowed, Goofy holding him back with difficulty.

But Barbossa wasn't prepared for what happened next. Now strong enough, I called out my Keyblade, drove the hilt back into the captain's side. Once dropped, I swung back around to land another blow. The last of the strength I'd managed to save up failed and toppled over and crashed to the stone. But it was worth it, Sora and Goofy were already swarming on the now weak pirate. We won!

Without thinking any more, I let my eyes close, and fell quickly into unconsciousness.

A throbbing headache and body greeted me as I opened my eyes. Despite the comforting sound of the Gummi ship moving along to whatever our next destination was, I could not appreciate it at the moment. Groaning slightly at the cramp in my stomach, I tried sitting up, but was startled into stillness by the sudden appearance of Sora just above me. His eyes were large and full of that same panic I'd seen back in the grotto.

To my great shock, he suddenly circled his arms around me, pressing our chests together in a warm embrace. His cheek flush to mine, he muttered, "I'm so sorry I've been so horrible to you lately. I-I dunno what I was thinking…"

My mind had gone numb. The overwhelming urge to push him away was all that I could concentrate on. While he rambled on about his "body acting before his thoughts", I forced myself to keep calm. Maybe if I just told him how he was affecting me, he would understand and we could work on it? I really wanted us to be friends again.

"Sora…you're crushing me," I breathed, patting him awkwardly. He started, grew still, then slowly pulled away, his face flushed a bright red.

"…being around you makes me…uncomfortable." I stated, a little more bluntly than I should have. I could instantly see his feelings were hurt as he moved to leave. My hand shot out, stopping him in his tracks as I continued hastily, "That's not what I meant! It's just…It's not a bad thing, I just don't know what to do around you anymore, and…that scares me. So…I'm sorry…for everything."

We sat on the bed, avoiding eye contact like it was some Heartless in the room neither of us wanted to have to deal with, but knew we had to. He spoke first after clearing his throat nervously, "The same happens to me, I guess, but…it feels normal in a way. I don't really realize I'm doing anything until you get mad at me, so it hurts my feelings; which is dumb because you always did that kind of stuff before and it never bothered me."

I shot him a furtive glance and saw his hand in his mess of hair, rubbing tiredly. Fidgeting with the bedspread I asked quietly, "Do you think…something could've happened that we don't remember?"

Phil from the Coliseum flashed to mind. The way he'd reacted to me, and the fact that he'd warned Sora not to trust me…

"I don't know."

Our eyes met as foreign emotions raged to the surface. His hand encased mine with strong fingers as he said earnestly, "All I really can say is that if anything happened to you, I couldn't live with myself. I _do_ need you here to look after me."

My jaw dropped. Saying something like that was profound even for him. I could feel the blood rush to my face as I lay rigid. Putting my arm over my eyes in an attempt to hide my embarrassment, I muttered, "Idiot…"

Thankfully he didn't get mad at that, instead he asked, "What happened back in Port Royal, anyway? You disappeared right after the Heartless came out…"

"It was the Darkness…do you remember back in Monstro when Riku pulled me through that Dark Corridor? It felt like that." I answered, still avoiding eye contact.

He blinked then cried, "Of course! Fai, I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner!"

Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him close once again. There was no way I could live without Sora around to be an idiot for me either. We stayed like that, giving in to whatever it was that was drawing us together. That is, until Donald called over the intercom, startling us apart:

"Get ready to depart!"

"Wh-where did we end up this time?" I asked nervously as we headed out to the control room.

Sora grinned and exclaimed excitedly, "Agrabah!"

My face fell. I groaned and cried, "You've got to be kidding me!"

He wasn't. As soon as we stepped out into the sand covered streets, the familiar feeling of my hair frizzing instantly became apparent. Grumbling, I looked around for a turban to buy, but couldn't find one. Not a single one! Sora and the others merely laughed at my misfortune. Elbowing Sora in the ribs I growled "Shut up and be serious! We're here for a mission."

After another few moments of getting their breathing back under control, we set out. Wandering through the streets, we battled Heartless, and with the surprising and not all too trusted help of Iago, we made it to the Palace where Jasmine stood. She was just like I remembered. After some catching up, she told us that we could find Aladdin working in the streets. When we tracked him down the same crooked grin greeted us as he started in on the new problem he had.

Apparently the lamp we sealed Jafar in had been removed from the Cave of Wonders by a local merchant, which could mean trouble if it got into the wrong hands. Sora was more than happy to volunteer us for the task of retrieving it. The merchant however, would not (despite our many attempts to persuade him) hand over the lamp. Not only that, but nowhere in that stupid shop of his could I find a turban! The small man demanded the price of treasure of magnificent value from the depths of the Cave of Wonders before he would trade. By now of course I was on the verge of throttling him and taking the stupid thing! It was a good that they ushered me out shortly after, or I would have.

Over the swirling sands we traveled until we reached the cave. It was just as it had been before: dark, booby-trapped, and full of Heartless. It took us hours to make it into the bowels of the chamber to a vast treasure room.

Unfortunately when we arrived back at the merchant's shop, we discovered that Pete was already trying to steal it. We chased the squabbling pair all the way to the Palace gardens where Iago finally got a hold of it. Pete, not wanting to leave without that lamp, summoned Heartless to take it back. When they were finally destroyed, Pete ran away as quickly as he could, leaving us cheering in victory!

After opening the next gate, we headed on to the next world: Pride Lands. It was beautiful once we'd traveled to the dense green oasis on the outskirts of the dry desert, but the fact that I had to be turned into a cat was something that I wasn't so fond of. Sora bumped his head against mine, our pointy ears (he was a lion cub too) brushing against each other, "Oh, c'mon Fai, it's fun!"

I grumbled and threw him a dirty look before turning to Donald who was a bird, and Goofy who was a turtle. They grinned happily to which I huffed displeased. We then made the decision to start exploring the new world to see if we could find any traces of the King or Riku. Of course our goal ended up changing to finding the rightful King of Pride Rock so he could remove his tyrannical uncle from the throne. And once Scar was finally defeated, Simba took his place as King.

When the ceremony was complete, Sora unlocked another gateway, and we were on our way yet again.


	26. Twilight Town, Space Paranoids

Back on the Gummi ship, I glanced around the monitors at our location between the worlds and asked the others over my shoulder, "Hey, do you think we should check up on Twilight Town?"

Smiling inwardly, I let the memories of the sun washed streets fill my mind. My whole body warmed at the thought of going there to see Hayner, Pence, and Olette again; even though we'd only spoken with them for a short amount of time. Maybe Sora was rubbing off on me finally. I was getting soft.

"I'd like that!" Sora answered instantly. Turning, I shared a smile with him and watched as his eyes lit up.

Together, we easily convinced Donald and Goofy to go along with our plan, and shortly were on our way to the sleepy world. It wasn't long before I was gazing up at the ever-constant sunset casting soft pinks, and oranges against golden clouds, breathing in the comfort that I felt being here. It was almost like I was home. This felt more loving than Junction had ever been.

Opening my eyes, I let the happiness engulf me, and turned to share a smile with Sora. He was already looking at me. I laughed slightly when I noticed the far-away look in his eyes. When he didn't say anything, I raised a brow and asked nervously, "What…?

He started, eyes coming into focus as he said quizzically, "Sorry…what'd you say?"

"I…I didn't say anything," I replied unsurely. "You were staring..."

"Was I?"

At any other moment I would have been convinced that he was telling the truth, but surrounded by this place, it was like I understood him better. Avoiding his eyes, I turned and started off down the cobblestone street, hoping to just ignore it. Following after, he walked in silence behind me. I was very glad when we came to a line of stalls that could serve as a distraction.

"Wow, look at all this stuff!" Sora exclaimed, pointing to a line of glittering handmade jewelry.

Everything here was so unique, and the people treated us like they'd known us all their lives. Coming here had been the best decision. I was so engrossed in looking at a strange array of yarn that I thought was a scarf, that I almost didn't see the woman I was walking straight at. At the last moment before we crashed into each other however, I reached out and halted both of us in our tracks. Her large hazel eyes gazed at me in surprise as I uttered a quick apology.

"Its fine, I wasn't looking where I was going either," she said, smiling. The dimples in her cheeks suddenly appeared, making her plain face radiate a sort of pure beauty that made the breath in my lungs disappear. Without warning, my chest erupted in pain. Tears sprang to my eyes as I staggered away from her. What was it about her that made me feel so upset? I tried wiping away the obtrusive tears, but she had already seen. Her eyes immediately filled with worry as she reached out and asked, "Oh, sweetie are you alright?!"

I tried nodding my head, but I couldn't get a hold of myself. After a few awkward seconds standing in the middle of the staring crowd, she reached out and told me she'd get something to help me feel better. Blushing furiously, I let her lead me away from bustling cacophony of people as she clamped her hand down on my wrist. Waving her hand at someone I couldn't see she cried, "Honey, give me the munny pouch, it's an emergency!"

"Really, it's nothing…" I muttered thickly, looking around for Sora who'd conveniently disappeared.

"Nonsense, I know exactly what you need right now to get you right on your feet again!"

The determination in her voice was surprising for such a small woman, I mean she was barely as tall as I was. Stomping up to a tall, scruffy faced man she held out her hand expectantly. For a moment, he merely glanced between us. Then he shook his head amusedly and placed a small pouch in her hand as he said, "You know dragging children around doesn't make you look any less crazy, Haruna."

Sticking her bottom lip out, she shot back, "He's upset, Kei! I can't just leave him!"

"Alright, alright!" he laughed, trailing after us as she once again tugged me away.

The stall we stopped in front of wasn't what I'd been expecting. It was ice cream. The jolly looking man ruffled his mustache at us before handing over three blue sea salt ice creams. Still feeling like my chest was trying to implode; we all sat on a nearby bench. I tried protesting one last time but was quieted by her pleading eyes. Muttering a soft 'thank you', I took a small bite off the tip of the frozen treat. Instantly, I felt myself calm. Eyes widening, I looked up at the both of them. Knowing smiles greeted me.

"Fai! Hey, where'd you go?! Fai!" Sora called faintly.

I caught sight of him, craning his neck over the heads of the people passing between us. I didn't even have to wave for him to catch sight of me. But when he did, the look on his face instantly fell. He jogged over and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm-"

"Is this your friend?! Would you like an ice cream too?" Haruna cut in, on her feet before either of us could react. "I'll get you an ice cream too! Just sit tight!"

Not bothering to wait for Sora, she seized him by the shoulders and plopped him down next to me in the seat she'd only just vacated. Bright cerulean eyes gazed down at me unsurely as I sat there. She was back in a flash, thrusting the ice cream into Sora's hand and explaining hurriedly, "We bumped into each other just over there, and oh, poor thing started crying! Eat up! It'll make you both feel right as rain!"

Neither of us wanting to disappoint her, we ate our ice creams in silence.

When only the stick was left, I looked up at her staring down at us anxiously and offered a small grateful smile. I then stood and dug in my pocket for something to offer her in exchange for her kindness. All I could come up with was a few oddly colored rocks that I'd come across on other worlds. I held them out all the same. Without warning, her arms were around me as she exclaimed, "You're a sweet boy!"

"We can't take him home with us, if that's what you're thinking," her husband said amusedly from his lounging sitting position.

She merely shot him a glare before saying, "If you're ever feeling down again, just treat yourselves to some ice cream and think of me, alright?"

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes again, but I managed to keep them down for fear of being forced to eat another ice cream. The pair of them linked arms as they waved farewell, leaving Sora and me dumbstruck.

"What was that about?" he asked, still holding his stick.

"I honestly have no idea," I answered, looking down at my shoes. "But I'm glad I met them..."

Turning, we continued on our exploring of Twilight Town, still looking out for any sign of Riku or the King. We found trouble instead. Three kids around our age lay face-first on the ground, their weapons strewn about as a dozen Nobodies swirled threateningly over their heads. Sora dashed forward, dispersing with one enemy as he cried, "Don't worry, we'll take it from here!"

When the last Nobodie was gone, I walked back over to the kids and helped them to their feet. The blonde boy, however, glared up at me and refused the hand I offered. He instead grumbled lowly, "Get out of my sandlot now…before you cause any more trouble."

Anger flared up inside me. I called over, "Fine!"

Sora came up to my side to lead me away when the boy suddenly revealed a large trophy and shoved it in my arms saying pointedly to Sora, "This goes to the toughest guy in Twilight Town". I staggered under its weight, but didn't get a chance to say anything before the three kids were heading away from us. I exchanged an exasperated look with Sora before heading out.

Every so often, Sora would look at the trophy, but not say anything. Finally, my frustration peaked and I asked, "What is it?"

"I'm not sure…but it feels like I've seen this somewhere be-"he started, the rest of his sentence cut off as a flash of red and black barreled him over. Blinking, I looked down and saw the boy Pence.

"Hey, it's you!" he cried, quickly pushing off of a stunned Sora and helping him up.

Rubbing his shoulder, Sora looked up and said, "Yeah, and you're uh…Pence, right?"

He nodded and hurriedly said, "Glad I found you! Do you know a girl named Kairi?"

My eyes widened in shock as her name registered in my brain. Sora looked like he'd just been slapped. We exchanged a quick look before he called excitedly, "I do!"

"Then you'd better come with me!"

Adrenaline was pumping through my veins as we crested the hill near the station, but all that fell away as soon as Hayner and Olette came jogging up and explained that she had been taken by Axel. I glanced over at Sora as his hand absentmindedly went to the lucky charm she had given him on his belt.

"Sorry…" Hayner muttered.

"Hey, you guys did the best you could! C'mon cheer up!" Sora said, his voice straining to sound cheerful. When no one would meet his gaze, he sighed and mumbled, "Like I can talk…"

I was just reaching out to pat him on the shoulder when he suddenly shouted determinedly, "I gotta help Kairi!"

Due to the surprise, I lost my grip on the trophy. It tumbled from my hands and crashed to the ground with a loud thud. All the decorative gems broke away and started rolling in all different directions. Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Sora all picked up one. Pence laughed nervously, still clutching one of the small brightly colored spheres and said, "That was close!"

I turned to look at Sora and saw him raising a small blue one up to the level of his eye, watching as the light from the setting sun reflected off of it. That's when it hit me! I recognized it! Quickly digging in my pocket I pulled out the pouch the King had given us when we'd first come to the station all those months ago. Inside the small blue ball was still there. Looking back up, for a moment I felt dizzy. The light glared in a way that played tricks on me. For the briefest second, I could have sworn that I saw a strange blonde boy standing just where Sora had been. But then I blinked, shook my head, and everything was back to normal. It was still the spike-headed-idiot, spacing out as always.

The blue orb in his hand began to glow suddenly, pulling him from whatever daydream he'd been engrossed with. I knew what this meant. Rising into the air, Sora used his Keyblade to open another pathway to a new world.

"Wh-what just happened?" Pence asked a little worriedly.

"A new path is opened," Sora answered determinedly. "And Kairi and Riku are waiting somewhere along it."

"Guess that means you better hurry!" Olette said smiling.

"You gonna come back?" Hayner asked, folding his arms over his chest.

Sora glanced over at me before smiling and saying, "It's a promise!"

With that, we waved goodbye and started heading back the way we came through the town. As we were passing back through the sandlot, we were caught by surprise as an Organization member called out from the shadows, "Have you seen a man named Axel? I expect he's here somewhere…"

Calling out my Keyblade, I growled over, "Like I care."

"…he's no longer…acting in our best interest," the man continued, as if I hadn't said anything at all.

"Doesn't seem like your Organization is very organized if one of your own members isn't cooperating," Sora bit out, also getting his own Keyblade ready.

The man merely pointed menacingly and said, "Don't let your guard down. Axel will stop at nothing to turn you into a Heartless."

Sora's grip on his Keyblade tightened in anger as he called over, "Gee, thanks for looking out for us, mister. But I'm sure we can take care of ourselves just fine."

"Glad to hear it. It would break our hearts to hear something had happened to you."

"Hearts…? You don't have any hearts," I said.

To my great surprise, for the first time ever coming across the Organization, the Nobodie looked directly into my eyes. I could almost feel the resentment flowing off of him as he said coldly, "True, but we remember what it was like. We know very well how to injure a heart."

A shiver ran down my spine at his words, just as he conjured up a Dark Corridor to slink back into. Turning once again to Sora he called, "You just keep on fighting those Heartless…"

"Let's jump in after him," Sora whispered to me.

Creasing my brows together, I asked in disbelief, "What?!"

"Maybe he'll lead us to the Organization."

A soft chuckle caused us to look back at the Nobodie smirking down at us. The 'x' scar on his face was slightly creased as his eyes narrowed amusedly.

"Don't be reckless. Do you want to end up like Riku?"

My heart skipped a beat, making me drop my Keyblade in shock. Sora too, stood up from his attacking stance to ask horrified, "What?!"

The coward merely slipped back into his Dark Corridor. I called after him, "Hey, wait!" but it was too late. Glancing nervously up at Sora, he turned to me and asked worriedly, "What did he mean…end up like Riku?"

Unable to think of anything to say to comfort him, I took hold of his quivering arm and led him back to the Gummi ship. Back aboard, it was like our little detour never happened. Sora forced himself back into being his cheery self, and I put my uneasy thoughts in the back of my mind.

Donald and Goofy were glad to see we'd come back. Apparently Cid in Hollow Bastian had sent a rough message to us asking for our help. It looked like they might be in some pretty serious trouble. Without wasting any time, we charted our course, and were on our way. When we touched down, Heartless and Nobodies were running rampant through the streets.

"C'mon, we should get to Merlin's house fast!" Sora said, leading the way through the narrow streets.

Turned out that Leon needed us, but he was in the old castle postern. We would have to battle through the many Heartless to reach him. Merlin patted me on the shoulder reassuringly and said, "But don't worry, my boy, it will be worth it. He did say something about finding Ansem's old computer and perhaps something about the King as well…"

We couldn't get there sooner. And sure enough, Leon was waiting. He led us through Ansem's old office to a back room overlooking a giant facility. Here we found the computer. Sora immediately rushed to it and typed in Riku's and Kairi's names feverishly. Unfortunately all that answered him was a very decided warning sound. I thought that maybe he would just get upset and walk away, but he shocked me by starting to pound on the keyboard.

"Sora stop," I cried, rushing forward and dragging him back.

He was just getting ready to retort viciously when a robotic voice announced, "Attention current user, this is a warning. Further misuse of this terminal will result in immediate defensive action."

"Was that the…computer?" Donald asked in disbelief, starting towards it to get a closer look. As he stepped nearer the console however, his foot caught on something. I watched in horror as he tipped forward, his hand reaching out for anything to steady his fall. Of course, his hand slammed down on the computer console, a cluster of buttons being mashed under his palm as he did.

"Decision gate reached. You are now under arrest." The voice called out again, making Donald wince.

I threw a glare over at the duck as Sora squeaked, "Under arrest?!"

We all looked around for a moment until Leon's cry of; "Run!" made us turn and see that the mechanism on the wall behind us had been activated. I had just enough time to throw my hands over my face before a blinding white light blotted out everything.

~0~

"Wake up Faitouru!"

Groaning, I waved off Donald who was shaking me vigorously, and sat up. Looking around I saw that we were definitely no longer in Hollow Bastian. I bit back the urge to yell at Donald who got us into this mess, and instead chose to ask, "Sora?"

No answer. My heart thumped painfully as I glanced around and asked faintly, "Where are you, you big idiot?"

"I think we're in trouble, fellas…!" Goofy said worriedly. I followed his line of sight to where nearly half a dozen Heartless were closing in. Within seconds, we were surrounded.

I tried getting my Keyblade out, but was instead forced to the ground by an intense pain that took the breath right out of me. When I could see straight again, I looked up to meet the cold eyes of a man. He stated monotonously, "You Users are under arrest. Do not resist or you will be derezolutioned."

Gritting my teeth, I allowed the Heartless to lead us away. Soon we came around a corner and caught sight of a confused looking Sora. Relief flooded my body as I called out to him. At least he was alright. His eyes locked onto mine as I neared, but they focused on the man as he stepped up and told Sora that he was under arrest. Sora glared up at him and called out his Keyblade.

"Let them go!" I heard him cry angrily.

The man merely blinked before raising his hand and pointed directly at me. Once again, the electrifying pain caused my vision to black out and my knees to buckle.

"Alright, stop, I get it! Just who are you?!"

"I am Commander Sark. You are under arrest, do not resist or you will be de-rezzed."

Grudgingly, Sora joined our little group being led to who knows where by the Heartless. Picking me up, he slung my arm over his shoulder and helped me limp along. He muttered sadly under his breath, "I'm sorry, Fai…"

My mouth was still a little numb, so I was only able to shake my head and give his arm a small squeeze. He seemed to understand. Before long, we found ourselves locked in a cell. I sat heavily on the ground and asked slowly, my voice sounding like my mouth was stuffed, "Does anyone have any idea what we just got ourselves into…?"

"You're inside a mainframe computer system."

Any more shocks and I just might have a heart attack. Narrowing my eyes, I watched as our unknown cell mate stood and strode into the light. Sora, scratching his neck, asked confusedly, "A _what_…system?"

"A computer system – for processing data. This system is a copy of one created by a corporation called ENCOM. The original program was destroyed. But this copy was acquired by another User. The new User updated and customized the programs renaming the system 'Hollow Bastian OS'. He used the system for town maintenance and to advance his private research. My name is Tron. I'm a security program. But now I'm under arrest, same as you."

All of us gaped over at him. That was a lot of information to divulge to complete strangers. Turning to us, Sora asked under his breath, "Did you guys get _any_ of that?"

"Gawrsh, ya know…maybe we should just introduce ourselves. Nice ta meet'cha Tron, I'm Goofy."

"I'm Donald!"

"Sora…and this is Faitouru."

"With those configurations, you must be Users."

Once again, Sora glanced around before asking unsurely, "Users?"

"Users pilot this program…created this world. You have to leave quickly. Who knows what the MCP will do to you!"

I didn't think it was possible to get more confused, but here I was, listening to what this guy was saying and having it go in one ear and out the other. Rubbing my temple I asked, "MCP?"

"The Master Control Program. It controls the whole system. If you idle here, you'll be de-rezzed!"

"So how do we get out of here?!"

After that, we learned that the only way to get back would be to boot up the transporter. The bad thing was, that the MCP had shut it down 50 micro cycles ago, whatever the heck that meant. Tron said that if only we could make it out and get the energy core back online, then we could get out. It was easy getting the cell door to open, considering we had the best key in all the worlds with us, but it was quite the long road getting past all the Heartless to reinitialize the energy core, and travel back through new hoards of Heartless to our cell. Once safely inside, Tron started work on getting the transporter up and running.

"Alright, so when we get back, all we have to do is get the password for the DTD from your User? What's the DTD?" Sora asked peering over Tron's shoulder as he busily worked.

"It's the name my User gave to the dataspace. Copies of all the original system programs are stored there along with anything that's sensitive or restricted. That's why I need it. When the MCP arrested me, he seized some of my functions. If I get them back, I can get rid of the MCP and put the program back the way it was supposed to be; a free system for you to use."

"You can count on us, uh…what's your User's name, and we'll ask him!"

"You don't know? His name is Ansem the Wise."

Ansem?! My eyes widened as I looked wildly around to Sora who stood gaping over at the program. I think Sora was about to ask Tron a bit more about it, when the MCP suddenly started messing with the system. If we didn't leave quickly, we might not make it back at all. With one last look, we beamed ourselves off.

Back in the real world, Leon was happy to see we were alright, but had no idea what the password could be. So we decided that searching Ansem's office was the only other option. We searched everywhere, but nothing pointed to being the password to the DTD. Just when we were giving up hope, Goofy accidentally knocked the giant painting of Ansem right off the wall, and behind it painted on the wall was a diagram of sorts.

Sora was the one that pointed out that 'Door to Darkness' was written in cramped scratchy writing among other things. It fit 'DTD'. So we knew what it stood for, now all we needed was the password. Donald sighed, "But what password would fit Door to Darkness?"

"Did someone say Door to Darkness?"

That high pitched cheerful voice could only mean that one person had appeared. All four of us spun on our heels and rushed to the door where King Mickey stood grinning. Turns out that it was the most obvious password, something that we should have thought of right away after realizing what DTD stood for. It was the seven princesses. Leon, who'd joined our conversation started off towards the computer room to get started plugging in their names.

"What're you tryin' to do?" the King asked, glancing from Leon's retreating back to us.

"With that password, we can get access to Ansem's research data." Sora answered.

"So that means you might be able to find out where he is!"

A soft chuckle escaped Sora's lips as he said, "Stop joking around Your Majesty. We already defeated Ansem, you know that."

"Hmmm…looks like I've got a lot of explaining to do."

What the heck did that mean? I wondered, getting ready to ask just that when Leon poked his head back around the corner and called, "C'mon, Tron's waiting!"

We glanced from him to the King and back again before the King finally said, "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be waiting for you to get out!"

Without wasting any more time, we went back into the mainframe computer system, and got a weak Tron to the password terminal. Unfortunately just as Tron's functions were restored, the MCP announced that it also had access to the DTD now. Thinking quickly, Tron changed the password. He explained that if the MCP's hostile program gained access to the I/O tower, then the User town (Hollow Bastian) would be in danger.

"If you ever want to access the DTD, just type in your names." Tron said with a smile.

We said goodbye and head back to the real world to check the dataspace for anything on Riku, Kairi, or Organization XIII. Waiting anxiously for the load screen to clear, a sudden notice popped up as a woman's robotic voice echoed out, "The Data is Corrupt." In a fit of anger, Sora hit the keyboard, making the screen go haywire for a moment. When the images come to a stop, a blonde man's profile popped up, wearing a red scarf around his neck.

"I see you got it up and running!" the King said from the doorway, coming closer.

"Not really, all we got was a picture of some guy we don't know."

Mickey drew closer and peered up at the picture on the screen and gasped, "Ansem the Wise!"

My brows drew together in confusion as I asked, "Are you joking with us again Your Majesty?"

Sora took hold of his arm and dragged him into Ansem's study where the painting of the man we'd defeated was leaning against the wall and explained, "Look…this is Ansem. You know the guy we worked reeeeally hard to defeat?"

"Oh, that's right – I never finished explaining." The King muttered, turning to face us. "Well the one in the painting is definitely the one who tried to take over Kingdom Hearts – the one you fellas defeated. But what you actually fought was his Heartless. You see, he wasn't really Ansem. He just went around tellin' everybody that he was."

"What?! You mean, we went through all that trouble to defeat an _impostor_?!" Sora cried.

"The _Heartless_ of an impostor…" I muttered darkly.

He glanced over at me as the King answered, "Yup, but he still had to be stopped."

"Hmm…" Goofy muttered thoughtfully, staring quite hard at the painting.

"What now?" Sora asked, throwing his hands up. "I'm lost enough as it is!"

"Well, as I see it, some feller named Ansem, who wasn't really Ansem, became a Heartless. Does that mean a Nobodie got created when that happened, too?"

"Yup, and that's the leader of the Organization!"

"So who is this other guy?" Sora asked, motioning in the direction of the computer room.

We all waited anxiously to hear the rest as the King pondered for a moment.

Suddenly a huge explosion rocked the entire castle. Toppling back into a pile of books, I waited for the shaking to stop. When it did, I was on my feet after Sora and the King heading for the exit. I guess we'd find out later.


	27. Hollow Bastian, Land of Dragons

Sprinting out, we followed the trail leading us back to town, cutting down Heartless as we went. After reaching the point over the cavern where all the Heartless had been accumulating, we saw that it was worse than we thought. Heartless were battling Nobodies, Nobodies were battling our friends, and our friends were battling the Heartless. Glancing nervously to Sora, I wondered if I could convince him to get on the Gummi ship for his safety, when my silent prayers were answered by the King.

"Go!" he commanded. "Find Riku and Kairi!"

"But-" Sora started, but was cut off as the King called back, "Faitouru, Donald, Goofy, get him out of here!"

The look in Sora's eyes when I turned to him was like a wounded puppy. I found myself rooted to the spot unable to make a decision on what to do. That is, until Sora went running past the King, the others on his heels. I guess I didn't catch a wink or some other signal saying we were just _going_ for it. Forcing myself to sprint after him, I threw an apology over my shoulder to the King, and concentrated on catching up with my three brave but idiotic companions.

We were just nearing the canyon when a Dark Corridor blossomed up from the ground in front of us, blocking our path. A familiar looking blonde Organization member stepped out and called good-naturedly, "Well hey, aren't you guys lookin' lively!"

"Scram!" Donald squawked irritably, brandishing his staff over his head.

"Didn't we catch you messing around in the Underworld?" Sora asked, making the man jump slightly. "What do you know?!"

Glancing over at Sora, I saw the fierceness in his eyes and realized just then that he must still be upset about the fact that there were still no leads on finding his friends. If we got out of this in one piece, I'd have to make sure and pull him aside to see if he wanted to talk. Because knowing Sora, he'd let his emotions get in the way until something stupid happened.

"You shouldn't order people around," The man called over, shaking a finger at us tentatively.

Weapons flashed into our hands threateningly, making him flinch. He spun on his heel, and for some reason, muttered to himself, "I _told_ them they were sending the wrong guy…"

Shaking his head Sora asked, "Who _is_ this weirdo?"

"He is a Nobodie…" Goofy answered, not understanding that that had been a rhetorical question.

"Right – no hearts," Donald added, also clearly not getting it.

"Oh, we do _too_ have hearts!" the man whimpered, turning back around to face us. "Don't be upset with me…"

"You can't fool us," I called.

It was like his personality did a complete one eighty. Glaring over at me, he raised his hand, pointing directly at me and spat, "Silence _traitor_…!"

My stomach clenched painfully. What could he mean by that? Sneaking a glance over at Sora, I saw that his eyes were already on me; questioning. There was no time to philosophize about whether or not I was some sort of secret mole or not. Just then, the Nobodie materialized his own weapon, and jumped right into an attack.

Water forms burst out and rushed around the small clearing, clearly not holding back. I dodged and blocked, and swung with all the strength I had, and still we were barely making a dent. If we didn't get control of the situation soon, then I was afraid this might actually be our last fight. Sora cried out in pain as a spray of water slammed into his chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. The all too familiar feeling of power surging through my body made it act on its own. Without realizing, I had slashed my way through the forms to his side.

I called down, "Are you alright?!"

Gritting his teeth, he nodded and got to his feet using his Keyblade as a crutch. Blocking another form I said urgently, "We have to end this, now!"

"Right," he answered, shaking his head and readying himself. "Follow me!"

With that, he took off, cutting down any enemies along the way. I stayed right with him, making sure to watch his blind sides. It was a tough fight, but in the end, the Nobodie fell to his knees in front of us, letting up a pitiful wail as he slowly disappeared. It almost made me feel sorry for him.

"Anyone else from the Organization who'd like to be next?!" Sora called, his voice echoing triumphantly.

I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest as Donald scolded, "Don't antagonize them!"

"We gotta go help the others first," Goofy added.

Sora merely scratched at the back of his head in embarrassment and grinned stupidly. I shook my head, trying really hard to keep a straight face and said, "Come on then, let's go."

I'd taken maybe two steps towards the canyon when the King's angry voice called out, "Wait just a minute!"

I winced. We were in trouble. All of us turned to look at him glaring over at us. I braced myself for the worst, but gaped when he said, "I'm coming with you."

Sora turned to share a grin with me. I started returning it when my eyes caught sight of a Heartless and Nobodie battling behind him on top of a ridge. The Nobodie spun in the air expertly before rushing past the already shuddering Heartless. Upon impact, the Heartless exploded, sending rocks flying in every direction. One of which was headed straight for the back of the King's head.

My eyes widened in fear as I started calling out. But I was too late; the King turned and saw the small boulder hurtling towards him. Suddenly, Goofy jumped in out of nowhere and shoved Mickey out of the way of the projectile, causing the rock to smash into his own head. I gasped as he crashed to the ground a few feet away completely still.

"Goofy!" Donald cried in horror, running to his side.

"No…" the King breathed in disbelief.

By now Sora, Donald and I were all surrounding Goofy. But I couldn't bring myself to touch him. I didn't want to have to feel him growing cold. Donald however kept shaking him as he choked out, "Hey, you're the King's Captain! You gotta get up!"

"C'mon, wake up!" Sora cried, wiping at his eyes furiously. "This is not happening…it can't be happening…it can't…"

We all stood in silence as our tears of despair fell. I gripped Sora's shoulder tightly as I fought to get myself under control. From behind me I heard the King call out his Keyblade and mutter furiously, "They'll pay for this."

Suddenly, Donald let out an angry cry, stood, and ran in the direction of the canyon with his staff in hand. Both he and the King disappeared around the corner at a dead sprint. I looked up at Sora who now stood gazing unsurely at Goofy lying still on the ground. We couldn't do anything for him now. Not with all the danger Radiant Garden was in. I tried communicating this by taking up his hand and squeezing it lightly. Finally, he nodded, and took off. It was a while before we caught back up to the others. And when we did, we were all winded from fighting so ferociously.

The King asked slightly breathless, "You alright…?"

All of us nodded, our thoughts once again turning to the recent tragedy. Donald sniffed and wailed, "Oh, Goofy…"

"Well, hey fellas!"

I thought I might've put a crick in my neck, I turned to look so fast at the way we'd just come. There standing, grinning like a buffoon, was Goofy. My jaw dropped. In one unanimous outburst we all exclaimed, "Goofy?!"

Rubbing his head as he came to a stop next to us he said, "Y'know that kinda hurt!"

All of us rushed in for a relieved embrace. As we pulled away the King tried wiping discreetly at his eyes as he chuckled and muttered, "Aw, Goofy…"

"Gawrsh, Your Majesty, I get bumped on the head all the time!" Goofy said. Donald took that moment to stomp up to him, deliver a swift kick to his leg and cry, "Don't you ever do that again!"

I couldn't help it. I was so happy to see that he was okay, I burst out laughing. After a moment, the others joined in.

What happened next went by in a rush of Heartless, Nobodies, and weapons clashing. We discovered the leader of Organization XIII on a ridgeline; the Nobodie of Xehanort – Xemnas – Ansem the Wise's supposed apprentice. I narrowed my eyes as he turned to look at us. He did look just like the Ansem we defeated a little over a year ago. Heated words were exchanged, where no answers were given to our questions. The evil doer then called up a Dark Corridor and disappeared into it. The King, not wanting to let him get away, jumped in after him before we could realize what he'd done.

Now another member of the Organization confronted us, the one we'd seen back in Twilight Town with the dusky lavender hair and 'x' scar across his face. It was here that we discovered that when Heartless are defeated with the Keyblade, they release the hearts they've taken; captive hearts. Sora has been feeding Kingdom Hearts this whole time, giving the Organization exactly what it wanted all along.

The man called out dozens of Heartless and ordered them to attack. I looked to Sora for what to do, but saw that he himself didn't know. If we fought them, it would be like we were helping the enemy, but if we didn't, then we'd get our hearts taken. We defended ourselves, but didn't fight back, that is until fatigue fell over us.

Just when I thought we were done for, I was shocked to find out that Maleficent had appeared and driven the Heartless back with her own powers. Then she told us to leave. Sora wouldn't let her do that. Even if she was our enemy, we couldn't leave her to fight all these Heartless by herself. She was quickly overpowered, but what could we do? How did she even expect us to escape? Her body suddenly turned into an enormous wall of green flames. I shielded my eyes against the heat, but suddenly a Dark Corridor sprang up beneath us. The last I saw before the swirling shadows swallowed me up, was that Organization member staring menacingly down at us trough the fire.

Everything was black when I opened my eyes next. My whole body felt like it had just been pressed in from all sides. Groaning I sat up and looked around for the others. Thankfully they were close by. Sora stooped and helped me to my feet as I asked, "Where are we…?"

"I don't…" he started, the end of his sentence dying off as both of us caught sight of a cloaked figure standing a few yards away. Their hood was up so we couldn't see their face, and they didn't have a weapon in their hand. But they did have a small brown box. Could this person have been who brought us here?

Without a word, the unknown figure set the box on the ground, and disappeared. Cautiously, we all walked to the box. Donald picked it up and pulled off the lid. Inside was a picture, and one of those sea salt ice cream bars.

"Hey, it's the gang from Twilight Town!" Goofy said, lifting the photo up to get a better look. "There's Hayner, Pence, Olette, and…uh…um…"

As soon as my eyes fell on the fourth boy in the picture, I felt my chest tighten uncomfortably. I clutched at it with my mouth agape as I wondered what was going on.

"Roxas," Sora cut in.

I glanced up at him in shock as I asked, "Y-You know him…?"

"No…the name just popped into my head," he answered. "But…this _is_ Roxas."

There were so many questions still. Was this the Roxas the Organization members kept mistaking Sora for? Who had that person been that left us this? Was it Riku? Why didn't he say something? And…why did I feel like I wanted to cry when I looked at the boy's smiling face in the picture?

The ice cream rose into the air, signaling that another pathway between worlds had opened. Where would we be taken to now? The glow from the power of the gate being unlocked illuminated the surrounding area. I recognized it instantly. This was the place where we'd confronted Riku who had been taken over by Ansem! Everything was collapsing in on itself, but it still resembled the room in which I'd watched Sora release his and Kairi's hearts.

Stifling another sharp pang in my chest, I trailed slowly after the others walking out of the building. We left Radiant Garden soon after, completely exhausted. I fell on my bed and groaned. My muscles felt like they had been screaming in pain since going into Tron's world. It didn't take me long to fall into a fitful sleep. I tossed and turned, never truly resting the whole night. Something kept my mind awake, but wouldn't make itself known. By the time I rolled out of bed the next morning, it was like I hadn't gotten any rest at all.

Pulling myself up into a sitting position, I sighed and put my head in my hands. My life was still messed up, and possibly getting even weirder. What was I going to do? The sound of Sora's infectious laughter in the next room brought my thoughts back from the deep depths of my mind. At least the Idiot and I were on better terms now.

Standing, I stretched my back and wondered where we'd ended up looking for Riku, Kairi, and the unknown location of Organization XIII's hideout. Since we couldn't find any other pathways that had been unlocked, I assumed we would head back to where we started. Heart thudding against my ribcage, I shakily reached into my pocket and withdrew the slightly rumpled photo.

Roxas…why does it feel like I know you?

"Faitouru!" came Sora's voice on the other side of the door, accompanied by his banging loudly against it. "Let's go!"

Jumping, I hurriedly stuffed the picture back in my pocket just as he burst in. Plastering a quick smile on my lips to hide my worry, I hurried to join him in packing supplies. Trying to keep my features as calm as possible, I asked, "Where are we?"

"Mulan's world," he answered, not really paying much attention to me.

Soon after disembarking, we found ourselves in the ruins of the village on the mountain. Rubbing my arms against the bitter wind, I looked around cautiously. It was too quiet for something not to be wrong. Just as I was about to call over to Sora and the others to tell them we should search someplace else, my eyes fell on a black clad figure standing in the shadows. For one terrifying moment, I felt my body grow cold and unresponsive. I tried calling out, but no sound escaped. I couldn't move! The person merely continued gazing over at me without a word.

"Hey you, stop!"

At the sound of Sora crying out, the spell over me was broken. Letting out the breath of air I'd been holding, I glanced quickly over my shoulder to make sure he was alright. He stood talking with Mulan who looked winded and equally as frustrated as the others. And then I saw the retreating back of a second person wearing the Organization coat disappearing up the mountain.

But then, who was…?

Spinning back around, I saw to my horror that whoever the hooded figure starting at me had been, they were gone. My eyes grew wide with fright. What had they wanted from me? Who were they?

"Fai, c'mon, we gotta go!" Sora bellowed, waving over his head frantically to catch my attention.

Shaking myself, I turned and hurried after them. Once at the summit, I had plenty to keep my mind occupied. Fighting wave after wave of Heartless, trying to give Sora the opportunity to take down the unknown figure became top priority. And when that fell through, we hurried to the Emperor's palace to protect him from the giant dragon Heartless that erupted from the mountain side. Turned out that Sora also suspected his unknown figure to be Riku, I mean, who else would save us back in Radiant Garden?

The Emperor, hands clasped regally in front of his chest recounted, "This person also told me that I had no need to call the army because "four wise guys" were coming to save us."

Sora's eyes widened in happiness as he flung his arms around my neck and cried, "It _is_ Riku!"

"That's great, but…" I choked out, peeling him off gently. "…what's he doing with the Organization?"

"I don't know, but at least now we finally know he's alright." Sora answered with a smile.

Lowering my gaze, I stayed silent. How could he be so confident of that guy all the time? To me…everything was looking worse the more we continued down our path of discovery.

Shortly after, we departed, hoping that in the next world we would see Riku again or maybe even Kairi. Sora and the others had gone to bed. I told Donald that I'd steer the ship. Sleep was the last thing on my mind right now, despite how exhausted I was. My mind was too busy swimming with unanswered questions.


	28. Beast's Castle, Revisiting

"Uh, maybe we came at a bad time?" Goofy asked in a hushed voice. I thought he was right. Just as we entered Beast's Castle, the Beast and Belle met each other – looking very happy and dressed up – at the top of the grand staircase. After gazing into each other's eyes a moment, the Beast led Belle through the double doors into the ballroom on his arm.

Donald, straightening his hat importantly said, "Well, there's only one way to find out!"

And with that, he was heading up the stairs after them. Sora merely laughed as I called agitatedly, "Donald!"

There was no use. We followed the oversized duck into the ball room, me grumbling under my breath about not sticking our noses into other people's business. As we entered the golden room, we heard Lumier the candelabra call, "…please, enjoy the evening! And oh, but of course our honored guests are welcome too!"

Sora looked down at me, his eyes shimmering with excitement. I could almost hear him think, 'See Fai? Now let's enjoy ourselves for once!'

"Welcome indeed…" a voice boomed down menacingly.

Acting quickly, Sora and I ran to the center of the ball room and looked up at the hooded figure standing on the balcony high above. Calling out his Keyblade in a flash of white, he said through gritted teeth, "The Organization!"

"You just don't know when to quit." The man said, pushing back his hood to reveal his sneering face.

"Oh yeah," Donald cried, shaking his staff at the dark haired Nobodie. "We'll show you!"

"GET OUT!" the Beast suddenly roared behind us, the force of it making my ribs vibrate. The Nobodie merely smirked as he snapped his fingers. Dozens of Nobodies surrounded us as he said, "I've come to take something you hold very dear."

With another roar, the Beast bounded forward, swiping at the creatures with his massive claws. I held Sora back, afraid the Beast might hit him in his rage. The Organization member called down, "Yes…feed your anger."

With that, the Nobodie was gone, leaving us with his group of enemies to dispatch of. Making sure to keep an eye on the enraged Beast, Sora and I fought by his side. And soon, the enemies were gone, but the Beast did not calm. Instead, he barreled through the double doors and dashed towards the West Wing of the Castle. We took off after him, not sure what he was running to. When we came upon him pacing restlessly in front of the tall paned windows in his chambers, Belle asked concerned, "What's wrong? Please just calm down!"

"Calm down?!" he roared, pivoting on his heel so he and her trembling frame were nose to nose. "You just had to have a party, didn't you? Don't you see what's happened?!"

"Hey, what's with you?!" Sora asked angrily, defiantly stepping between them.

I kept my Keyblade drawn, clutched tightly in my hand, in case I needed to step in at a moment's notice. But at that, the Beast turned and muttered forlornly under his breath, "The rose…my rose…"

My eyes traveled quickly to the empty table where the magical rose had been displayed before when we came here as Sora asked, "What, that? He took it?"

The room was deathly silent as this news registered. Her hands shaking slightly as she reached once more to the Beast, Belle started, "But I'm certain you can find another rose-"

"Silence!" he roared again, anger once more flaring in his eyes as he spun around and barred his fangs. "You don't know anything!"

"That's not fair, Beast. Don't take it out on Belle! It's not like _she_ stole it!" Sora replied fiercely, still standing protectively in front of Belle. Hanging his head sadly, the Beast turned and pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly and muttered, "Belle…Sora…I want you to leave the Castle."

We all exchanged worried glances as he continued, "Look at me…this is what I am. When you first came here, I tried to change, but I was only fooling myself. I can't be any different. I'll always be a _beast_. So I should live like a beast; alone. Goodbye…Belle."

"Y-You can't mean that!" Belle said her voice thick with emotion as she clutched a trembling hand to her heart.

Sora turned her away, and muttered under his breath as he steered her towards the door, "Look Belle, leave this to us. If we can get the Beast's rose back, he'll calm down."

Large doe brown eyes full of unshed tears, Belle quickly nodded and disappeared out the door to head to her room. I reached out and tugged on Sora's sleeve as I asked, "What do you plan on saying to convince him to snap out of it?"

"No idea," he answered with a crooked smile and a wink. "But I'll figure something out."

Rolling my eyes, I followed him back to the Beast's slumped figure, ready for anything. And then Sora opened his big mouth and gave a surprisingly well delivered speech.

"What happened to you? The first time we met, you would have given your life for Belle's! That gave me courage! And now you're sending her away?" he began passionately. "Maybe you should have kept some for yourself, because the others here need you to be strong for them! Mrs. Pots, Lumier, Cogsworth, and even-"

"I've learned something just now," the Beast growled menacingly, cutting off a flustered Sora. "This Castle…is **_mine_**, and I won't let Xaldin take it from me!"

Turning to share a triumphant smile, Sora called out his Keyblade and said, "Alright!"

With that, we were heading down through the foyer to the front doors, and out to the courtyard in front of the Castle where the Beast called for the member of Organization XIII to make himself known. That's when we heard a scream ring out from above us. I spun around just in time to see Xaldin lead from Belle's bedroom balcony with both her and the rose under his arms towards the bridge leading to the woods. We dashed after him.

"Leave my Castle, NOW!"

"Oh…? I like to travel light. What shall I leave behind then?" the Nobodie asked tauntingly. "The rose…or Belle?"

Without a second to lose, the Beast launched himself forward roaring Belle's name without hesitation. But he almost didn't need to. Determination flashed into her eyes as she suddenly reared up and elbowed her captor hard in the ribs. As Xaldin doubled over coughing and holding his bruised side, Belle slipped from his grasp, snatched up the rose, and ran back towards the Castle. I laughed as I caught sight of the triumphant glow on her face. She certainly wasn't a normal princess.

"Nice one, Belle!" Sora hooted as we ran past, getting ready to square off against Xaldin.

With an angry cry, the Organization member called out his multiple weapons and started attacking ferociously. There were a few times where I found myself pinned to the ground by one of his spears, but thankfully Sora was able to pull through and deliver the final blow. The Nobodie disappeared with one final cry of anguish as I stood panting with my hands on my knees. Coming up to my side, Sora laid a hand on my shoulder and asked concerned, "Hey, are you feeling okay? You seem a little off…"

Now that he mentioned it, I did seem a bit weak. Rolling my shoulder I merely said, "Just hungry, I think."

He shrugged and moved off to help Goofy back onto his feet. Keeping a firm grasp on my arm, I trailed after the Beast who was making a beeline for an anxiously waiting Belle. Averting her eyes as she handed over the crystal case carefully she mumbled, "Here, it's yours again…"

"Belle, I –"

"I know," she cut in sadly. "You want me to leave the Castle."

Keeping my face straight became my top priority. Next to me, an eager Keyblade-Idiot was hanging on their every word. His enthusiasm was so glaringly…moronic; I couldn't help but scowl a little bit though.

"What matters is, that you weren't hurt by Xaldin…you're safe." The Beast mumbled bashfully, setting the rose down nervously. "And I'm very grateful to you…for bringing the rose back to me. Thank you."

Sora was practically on the edge of his toes with excitement as Belle exchanged more awkward niceties. And as the Beast attempted continuing, he looked to Sora who eagerly coaxed, "Go on!"

Donald and Goofy also chimed in, "Say it" and "You can do it, Ahyuck".

When his eyes traveled back to the woman he cared for, he took in a deep steadying breath and asked, "I'd like you to stay here…with me…please?"

"I will," she answered happily, entwining her hand in his.

As we looked on, they began a slow waltz; a continuation of earlier that evening when we'd first arrived. Goofy gazing after them sighed contently, "Gawrsh, they sure do seem made for each other."

"Yeah…" Sora answered dreamily. "They really do."

His cerulean eyes looked at me from the corner of his gaze as he smiled, but I couldn't look away. And so we stood there, watching the happy couple, none of them realizing that I quite literally couldn't move my body a single inch. It was that unknown hooded figure again. But, where were they?

I must have been frozen like that for a good five minutes. Just as Belle and the Beast were wrapping up their dance was I able to stagger back. Catching sight of me as he clapped along with the others, Sora asked worriedly, "You look really pale, are you sure you're not feeling okay?"

Feeling dizzy, nauseous, and frightened as dark spots dotted my vision; I drew my lips into a firm line and shook my head. Sora's eyes immediately widened as he called, "Sorry everyone, but we really need to get going!"

There were calls of disappointment, but Sora easily explained that we were still looking for friends. With hurried farewells, we headed for the Gummi ship. But of course halfway there, I felt my legs turn to jell-o underneath me. Thankfully, Sora caught me as I collapsed and carried me the rest of the way. At some point I blacked out, and was immediately assaulted by some sort of nightmare.

_Sunlight, brighter than any I'd ever seen before, beamed harshly down on my curls from the sun sitting high in the blue sky, making me squint. I was running, my toes digging into the sand as I struggled to keep up with two other familiar looking boys. They looked to be maybe five or six. Again, the sun blinded me, and I felt my dream-self come to a rest next to a glinting river. Now it was the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the water that caused me to shield my eyes. _

_I saw my hand, absent of the scars I had now. And recognized the tree I sat under. I was thirteen again, sitting in my special spot watching in peace as the day moon sank below the horizon and the night moon rose to take its place. For a blessed moment, I was home again with nothing of the present to worry me. When I looked once more to the night moon now high in the sky, I felt my dream-self rise from the ground and soar towards it. But now, it was the face of the clock on the tower in Neverland. _

_Soaring up, I spotted Donald and Goofy chasing each other over the rooftops of London far below. Then I saw Sora, also a younger version of himself lazily swinging his legs over the side of the ledge. Smiling, I landed next to him and instantly felt drowsy. My head lolled onto his shoulder as my eyes drooped. But in the next instant, my eyes opened and I was fully awake. Someone was jostling me, in an attempt to free their warm shoulder from my cheek._

_Sitting up slowly, I caught sight of the person and inwardly gaped in shock. It was the boy from the picture; Roxas. He stood, hauling my grinning dream-self up with him, a silly grin of his own plastered on his face. I watched as he dashed down the cobblestone streets of Twilight Town affectionately. Only when he realized that I wasn't following, did he turn, fixing me with a warm gaze. As he stopped, the light caught in his golden spikes, making the scene change around us. The warm comforting streets fell away to be replaced with white walls and floors. But even in this cold, sterile place he continued smiling. Motioning to my side just before disappearing out into a black hallway, he sent me one last smile. Slowly, I turned my gaze and stopped cold. There, reflected in the window looking out onto a bleak, rain washed world I'd never seen before, was me. But there, sitting on my shoulders, was the Organization's black hooded coat._

At that, I woke up screaming myself hoarse.

"Fai, it was only a dream!" Sora hollered, holding my arms down as I attempted shoving him away. "You're alright, I've got you!"

Could it be true? Had I really been part of Organization XIII? Was I…a traitor?

It took me a while to calm down. And every time Sora asked what had happened, I couldn't bring myself to speak. I was supposed to be Protecting him, instead I'd somehow ended up with the enemy helping them make our jobs a lot harder! There was no way he'd forgive me if he found out. After forcing me to eat a little (he was convinced my empty stomach was the culprit), I managed to convince him that I couldn't remember what I'd been dreaming about. Giving me one last concerned furrow of his brows, he crawled back into bed and promptly began snoring.

Bringing my knees to my chest, I spent the rest of our journey trying to piece the small amount of puzzles I had together. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that the faster we found the Realm of Darkness that the Organization inhabited, the faster I could put this behind me.

And we did go fast. One world after another, we revisited asking question after question about Riku, Kairi, and the Organization's whereabouts. But as we went, the more I felt that Dark power wash over me, pinning me to a single spot for minutes at a time, draining me. I was able to hide it from the others, but Sora was starting to catch onto the fact that my fighting prowess and stamina were slowly diminishing. Even the dreams were coming more frequently. But why? And were they really my memories?

After the initial shock, I no longer woke up screaming, but every so often, Sora would gently shake me awake ending my torment. I managed to deduce that I must have been with the Organization sometime while I was supposed to be sleeping with Sora and the others under the old mansion in Twilight Town. That was the only time unaccounted for. And that's why I couldn't tell Sora. If I wasn't aware of what I'd done, had I still betrayed him? It was like that adage: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?

I just didn't know.

Clutching my chest, I rolled onto my side and listened to Sora's soft snores in the bed next to me. Slipping my hand into my pocket, I withdrew the tattered photo of Hayner, Pence, Olette, and…Roxas. This boy…I'd known him. It was strange because in my dreams, I not only saw him in the Organization's lair, but in Twilight Town as well. Two separate places with the same sort of feelings. And it stunned me how I felt around him. On many occasions when I closed my eyes, I would _run_ into his arms and be overcome by such a strong sense of happiness, that all I could do was stand there resting my cheek against his warm chest. Then he would pull me in close, chest rumbling with laughter, and I would realize, with a painful twist in my gut, that he was a Nobodie.

Closing my eyes tightly, I forced the picture deep into my pocket and determinedly told myself to put those thoughts in the back of my mind. Soon, I'd be standing in the streets of Twilight Town, hopefully finding the answer to all of my questions myself.

~O~


	29. Twilight Town, Betwixt and Between

Guilt stabbed into my heart every time I glanced at Sora. I'd been avoiding him, and I could tell he was hurt by that. But honestly, I didn't know how to act around him anymore. I was so confused. On one hand I had my betrayal with the Organization, and on the other I had the memories of happy…love-filled days with that boy, Roxas (that resembled Sora so much it was a bit disconcerting). We still had our mission though, which I was extremely thankful to use as a legitimate distraction. Leading the way through the sun-kissed cobble stone streets of Twilight Town, I expertly steered us to the gang's Usual Spot under the train tracks.

They weren't there. We searched all over, until finally we found our way to where we started our adventure. Through the crack in the wall and the shaded woods, we crested the hill towards the old mansion. Here I saw three figures lying face down in the grass, Dusks swirling menacingly over their heads. Instantly I recognized them as Hayner, Pence, and Olette.

Sora rushed over, quickly dispelling the enemy and kneeling by Hayner's side. I skidded to a stop next to Olette and gingerly helped her into a sitting position as Sora asked, "What are you three doing up here? What happened?"

With a soft grunt, Hayner pushed himself upright. Rubbing the back of his head tenderly he answered, "We were looking for Kairi when we got attacked by those things…"

"You didn't have to do that –"Sora began, but was cut off by Hayner saying, "Yeah we did! She's our friend too, you know!"

Olette's hand resting in my own gave me a small squeeze. I looked down into her softly smiling face as Sora muttered, "You're right…I'd never thought of it like that before."

"But…why look here?" I asked, recalling that all the inside held was dust, and broken glass.

"This place seems to get some pretty strange visitors," Pence said pointedly, eyeing the four of us.

Olette rolled her eyes at him and continued, "We thought this place might be the gateway to some kind of…alternate Twilight Town."

"What do you mean?" Donald asked, scratching his head.

"Can we see that crystal of yours Fai?" Pence asked.

Raising a brow, I pulled out the munny pouch and retrieved the shining blue crystal. Olette simultaneously tugged an identical pouch from her own pocket and said, "I made this pouch myself, no one else should have it. So why are there two of them?"

"_And_ the trophy Seifer gave you with the crystals on it is the only one of its kind." Pence added.

"So…where'd _you_ get them?" Hayner asked, folding his arms in front of his chest as he scrutinized us.

"Well…" Sora wondered, resting his chin on his hand in thought. Realization dawned on me after a moment's pause. I said quickly, "The King gave us the pouch when he gave us munny for the train."

"Yeah, and the crystal was inside!" Sora nodded eagerly.

"But then…where'd the King get it?" Pence wondered.

"See?! There's got to be another town out there like this one!" Olette cried excitedly. "That would explain everything, it makes perfect sense!"

All three of them gazed over at us expectantly. Finally Sora asked unsurely, "It _does_…?"

"Well yeah, it's probably where everything is that keeps going missing." Hayner answered plainly.

When none of us responded Pence hinted, "Like wherever Kairi was taken…?"

"Or the Organization," I added, my eyes lighting with understanding. It did make sense. If Nobodies weren't supposed to exist, then of course they'd be somewhere you'd never think to look. But our excitement was cut short as a swarm of Dusks appeared completely surrounding us. I called my Keyblade out, ready for a fight, when a small blur of black jumped into the fray, dispensing with two of them in an easy swing. As all of us caught sight of two large, round black ears, we cried in unison, "Your Majesty!"

He quickly ushered us inside, holding the enemies at bay as we made sure to keep Hayner, Pence, and Olette out of danger. Once inside, the King joined us with a broad grin on his face. The others quickly explained what we learned as we headed down to the only place that didn't fit in such an old, crumbling mansion; the place where we'd woken up.

It was a little strange being back here after so long, but now that I was really looking at everything, I wasn't surprised. Our beginning was going to be the gateway to the end.

"Oh no," Sora wailed, looking up at the impressive array of whirring computer screens in the far side of the small basement room. "How are we supposed to get any information out of that?"

Pence stepped forward, cracking his knuckles as he said easily, "Leave that to me!"

We all watched as his fingers danced over the keyboard. But then the disheartening sound of a warning rang out. Frustrated, Pence tried again, only to be met with the same problem. Turning to look at us he said, "I can't go any further without a password, sorry guys. Any ideas on what it could be?"

Silence fell over our group as we all thought. My mind wandered from one possibility to the next, never settling, until I remembered what else had been stored in the box with the picture that "supposed Riku" left us as a clue. Stepping up to his side I said, "Try sea salt ice cream."

"Are you sure?" Mickey asked warily. I nodded to which Pence shrugged and muttered, "Alright, here goes nothing."

And with one last tap of the enter key, the screens all lit up with green confirmation notice. Sora happily patted me on the back as he asked, "Well?"

"Looks like this controls the portals over there. It'll take you into the alternate Twilight Town." Pence answered, still tapping away.

Sharing a grin, Sora bounded over and situated himself inside and called, "Let's go!"

The gang decided to stay on this side. A wise choice, I thought. I didn't know how I'd handle seeing an identical me when there wasn't supposed to be one. After saying our farewells, we all stepped into the device. When the switch was flipped, I felt my body tingle as we were sent through the small portal. And in one blink of an eye, it was over.

"Are we…back in the same place?" Sora asked, glancing around unsurely at the identical room.

"No, look!" Goofy called, striding over to the computer where Pence had been sitting. The seat was vacant, and all the screens had been smashed; completely destroyed. Who would've done that?

"So this is the other Twilight Town…" Sora mumbled softy, also gazing at the wreckage. "…Roxas' Twilight Town."

For a brief moment, the look in Sora's downcast eyes didn't look like his, making a shiver pass up my spine. It was such a…painful look. The King called over from the exit, "C'mon fellas! It's time to find what we've been looking for."

With a start, Sora's eyes met my own, and in that moment I watched as his arm moved to reach out to me. It caught me off guard. I couldn't stop him from touching me even if I'd wanted to try. But I didn't need to. As his hand neared my own, he paused, confusion knitting his brows together. Averting his gaze he brushed past me, following after Donald and Goofy into the next room without a word.

Once I'd forced myself to pick up my feet and trail after, I found myself looking at some sort of Dark Corridor. But it wasn't closing. It seemed that this was the pathway between this world and the Organization's. Donald was gung-ho about jumping straight in there and giving them a "one-two". But I insisted that we go into town and re supply. Because, who knew what we might find. In the end they agreed with me, and we set out for town.

The whole place was exactly the same as it had been on the other side. The same dust in the old mansion, the same shaded woods leading to the same crack in the wall, and the same town square. I gazed around in awe, wondering just how this was all possible. And then I heard from around the corner, three familiar voices asking, "Excuse us, but have you seen these boys? They've been missing for a while now. Maybe you recognize them?"

"Roxas has blonde hair, blue eyes, about yay tall."

That definitely caught my attention. Striding around, I caught sight of Hayner, Pence, and Olette. They were exactly the same! But…no, they weren't. These kids – this whole town – were something entirely different. Olette, her voice thick with emotion continued, "Our other friend was coming back from the doctor when he went missing. He's really sick. His name's Faitouru, so if you happen to see him…just let him know his friends and family really miss-…"

It was like I'd just been slapped full-on the face. She'd said my name! As the last of her sentence died away, I realized through my shock that all three of them were gaping over at me. A sharp pang ran through my heart at the same time my mind began to swim. And then, all the air in my lungs was knocked away as their bodies slammed into my own, one after the other.

Three pairs of tearful eyes gazed at me in utter relief as Pence cried, "Where have you been, Fai?!"

"We were so worried!" Olette said into my shoulder.

"Is Roxas with you?"

"Wh-what?" I stammered, completely taken aback.

"We thought maybe he ran away to look for you when he found out you were missing." Hayner answered, wiping stubbornly at his eyes.

I couldn't breathe. My voice had completely gone as I stood there, letting them berate me with questions and exclamations about my returning. Finally Olette gasped and cried, "Your parents have been _so_ worried about you!"

"Yeah dude, your Mom's been a wreck." Pence added.

My parents? I suddenly had a vision of the dimple cheeked woman that I'd run into a while back in the normal Twilight Town with her husband.

"Thank you all _so much_ for bringing him back to us!" Olette offered suddenly rounding on my companions who'd been dead silent through this entire exchange. Afraid of what I'd see, I craned my neck and saw Donald looking absolutely livid, Goofy standing utterly confused, the King at a loss for words, and Sora…I couldn't see his eyes under the shadow of his bangs, but looking at the tension in his shoulders, I could tell he was upset. What was he thinking? What should I do?

The suspicion that had been festering against me ever since Phil had told Sora not to trust me had just been confirmed and then exploded. Somehow, in this alternate Twilight Town, I had friends and a family I didn't know about. If there was that, then there had to be more than just those secrets floating around somewhere.

Wrapping her arms once more around my still frame, as if she thought I was some sort of apparition, Olette laughed happily and said, "You can tell us all about what's happened when we get you back home, c'mon!"

Panic swelled in my chest as she started tugging me away. This was happening, and I didn't have the heart to stop it. They were so happy to see me, and…deep down I think I was just as happy to see them. And then I felt another hand on my wrist, effectively stopping her from marching me off. Looking around wide-eyed I saw Sora looking down on us blankly.

"He can't go with you…"

Hayner stepped up to him so they were nose to nose and asked defiantly, "Oh yeah, and why not?"

Still without any emotion in his voice Sora replied coldly, "He has something he needs to take care of."

His face growing red with irritation Hayner asked not backing down, "And who the hell are you to say what he needs to do or not do?"

The situation was going downhill fast. I could see Donald and Goofy stepping closer threateningly as even Pence and Olette did the same. I had to do something before they started ripping each other apart!

"He's right guys," I said wincing as both Olette's and Sora's grips grew tighter. "I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch, but…I really have something I need to take care of."

"Seriously? But Fai…" Pence started, his voice cracking and dying. Olette turned and continued, "Are you sure? Are you better now?"

Setting my lips into a hard line, I nodded and asked, "Could you tell Mom and Dad that I…that I love them, and I'll try to visit soon?"

"Well, sure, but Faitouru…" Hayner started, his shoulders slumping slightly as his hand pressed into my shoulder.

Unable to reach up and pat his hand reassuringly, I nodded and put on my nicest not scared smile. Then I turned to the others and said, "Don't worry, okay? These guys are taking good care of me."

They all looked over my shoulder to the others doubtfully, but after a moment, I felt Olette's trembling hand release me. Finally she whispered, "Alright…"

Unable to speak anymore, I lowered my gaze and let Sora pull me away. My heart was burning for me to turn back, but I just concentrated on keeping my feet moving in whatever direction we were going. But then my steps faltered as I heard Hayner call after my retreating back, "Hey Fai, you never told us if you'd seen Roxas!"

If my heart stopped beating just then, I wouldn't have been surprised. Sora's hand gripped even tighter, making me wince. There was no way I could say anything without upsetting him. And honestly, I didn't think I wanted to. I had no idea where the blonde boy was. Setting my jaw, I kept my head bowed and pretended not to hear what he'd just said, allowing Sora to drag me off.

The sound of my heart beating was in my ears the whole time we wove through the streets. Only when we stood next to the hole in the wall did we finally come to a stop. What came next, I didn't even see coming. Shutting my eyes tightly in pain as a fist to the side of my face sent me sprawling to the ground, I heard something crack sickeningly. Fighting back the tears, I didn't get a chance to catch my breath before Sora took a fistful of the front of my shirt, wrenched me back up, and hoisted me off my feet. Next thing I knew, the back of my head was slamming painfully against the brick wall next to the crack leading to the mansion.

Why was he doing this to me?! In all the years I'd known him, he'd never gone off the handle like this, even when we were betrayed and hurt by people we thought we trusted. What made _me_ so different? I was his best friend…right?

As I peered down at him through tear-filled eyes, I saw Sora's own brimming with anger and confusion; but mostly hurt. Shaking me roughly he growled through gritted teeth, "Explain."

How could I when even I had no idea what was going on? I tried prying his fingers loose. I couldn't think or breathe. My best friend reared back his fist again, readying a punch when the King cried out, "Sora, let him go, he doesn't know!"

For a brief moment, he still held me suspended, debating the second punch, and then he released me unceremoniously. I dropped into a heap on the ground, gasping and coughing. As I sat there, Sora ordered us to head back to the old mansion to take care of the Organization once and for all. Sora and Donald took off without glancing once back at me, while Goofy hesitated unsurely before also disappearing through the crack after them. The King was the only one that stayed by my side as silent tears rolled down my cheeks.

When I found my voice again I choked out miserably, "I really don't know what's going on…"

Placing his hand on my shoulder he said quietly, "Don't worry, we'll figure this out..."

Rubbing at my neck, I nodded slowly, and carefully wiped the tears away, careful of the cheek bone that Sora might have possibly broken. The King, as we strode through the woods offered to use a healing spell, but I refused. Maybe I felt like I deserved this pain.

Turned out that in his anger, Sora had gone into the portal without waiting for the King and me. I felt my heart skip a beat at the thought of him recklessly fighting alone against whatever was on the other side waiting for us. Without wasting any more time, I jumped in, and immediately regretted it. As soon as I felt the consistency of the air change, I knew this Dark Corridor wasn't like the others. With the other corridors I'd been through, I was at least able to fight against the Darkness for a minute, but this…I stood no chance.

My feet dragged me about six steps forward before I collapsed face-first. From far away I could hear the King calling my name and shaking me, but I couldn't move. Everything was growing fainter as time passed.

_Your Destiny is calling you._

An intense burst of energy wrenched me half back into the real world. What was that just now?

Sora's voice caught my attention as he asked tearfully, "Axel…what were you trying to do?"

Axel? Had that been his power just then?

The Nobodie, a smile evident in his voice said, "I wanted to see Roxas…he was…the only one I liked. He made me feel…like I had a heart. It's kind of funny, you make me feel…the same–"

He cut himself off and changed tones to one of business as I felt another burst of energy appear, "Kairi's in the Castle Dungeon now go!"

He really had turned out to be an okay guy, I thought as I let my mind slip once more into the Darkness.


	30. The World That Never Was

All at once, I felt air slam back into my lungs. Gasping, I jerked away from whoever had been holding me up, and fell to the ground. Taking in the lungful of air I glanced around and saw Donald and Goofy scanning the narrow alley we'd dropped into for Heartless or Nobodies. Coughing, I turned and saw the King gazing down at me worriedly, Sora right beside him. He'd been the one that dragged me out of there…

As our eyes briefly met, he made a small sound of anger and strode off. But under the fury over my betrayal, I saw sadness. That's when I realized that Axel wasn't with us and what that meant. Under my breath I asked the King, "What happened to Axel…?"

"There were too many he…sacrificed himself." He answered, hanging his head.

Oh no. Finding Sora once again, I saw his lowered head and bent shoulders and knew he was trying not to cry. Getting to my feet with some help from Mickey, I managed to stagger to where he stood. Rubbing my arms unsurely I glanced up at him quickly before muttering, "I'm sorry…"

Even if he didn't want to hear it from me, I knew that he needed it. He was just like that. Not wanting to give him an excuse to hit me again, I strode past him after hesitating slightly, shaking away the last of the dizziness as I went. He didn't even look in my direction.

It hurt, and pissed me off. Bitterly as I followed the others through the rain washed streets I thought back to when I'd first met Leon and the gang in Travers Town. He'd told me that I couldn't change what had happened because I didn't have the power that the Keyblade Wielder had. So…sorry Sora, but even if you ignore me or hit me you can't get rid of me. You need me and I need you, no matter how much both of us wished that wasn't true.

Striding towards the others he called, "Axel said Kairi's in the dungeon."

"Then we'd better hurry and find our way to that Castle!" the King answered, pointing towards the huge structure illuminated by the eerie glow of the Heart-Moon in the sky.

Dashing through the narrow streets proved to take longer than I thought. Dozens of Nobodies and Heartless were waiting and swarmed when they caught sight of us. And as I looked around I got the feeling that I recognized certain places. Rain fell softly as we finally came to a halt in the center of the bleak town at the base of a tower. Everyone passed around supplies while I kept my eyes locked on the streets leading away from us. I had the horrible feeling that someone was watching us. But no matter how hard I looked, I still couldn't find them.

Then, just as I was heading back, I felt it. My body grew cold as a sense of numbness overcame me, making me still. That hooded figure! Where were they?! Eyes swiveling, I tried finding them, but once again they were out of sight.

"Sora?!" Donald, and Goofy cried in unison as a swirl of Darkness overtook him. No! Why did I have to be frozen right now?! I had to help Sora!

And right before my eyes, the unspeakable happened. Before I could even attempt wrenching my limbs free from my statue like prison, he was gone. My eyes widened in horror as Donald stomped over to me in a tirade, asking what I'd done to him. I couldn't even answer. But he needed no words from me. The oversized duck continued berating me with his rants as the others held him back until I felt my limbs come back to life.

Panting and clutching my chest, I glanced around at the clearing before muttering, "We have a problem."

More Nobodies appeared each one more vicious than the last. My strength still wasn't completely restored, and worried thoughts of Sora and his safety kept clouding my mind. Had that person taken him? Was he alright? On more than one occasion, I found myself flat on my back after a nasty blow. And then, my eyes lit up with joy.

Sora was back. In another burst of swirling black energy, he reappeared at the base of the tower. The last of the Nobodies had just been dealt with, so as I strode to his side I heard him mutter in a far away voice, "You make a good other."

"Are you okay?" Donald asked, brushing past me and sending a warning glare over his shoulder. I got the hint.

Shaking his head, he turned to us and asked, "What…just happened?"

"Gawrsh, I dunno. You disappeared and we had to fight some Nobodies!" Goofy answered, clapping him on the back. "C'mon, let's just find a way to get into that Castle!"

Without wasting any more time, the others quickly headed off in the direction we'd been going in before. I fell into stride next to a still distracted Sora and heard him whisper to himself, "He said he'd…defeated Riku…"

"Who said that?" I asked quietly, feeling my pulse quicken at the thought of the unknown hooded figure that's been following me finally being found out.

Throwing a furtive glance down at me, he did not answer. He still hated me. Hanging my head and glowering at the cobblestone streets, I dropped back and didn't speak again until we came to the floating base of the Castle. Peering over the edge of the precipice I said mumbled, "Dead end."

"There's gotta be a path somewhere." The King said, clenching his hand into a fist. Almost as if on cue, Sora's Keyblade materialized into his hand. Glancing around, he raised his weapon until the point was directed at the Castle. A stream of white light jutted out, opening a wide path for us to cross over on. With one last check of our supplies, we dashed across and stepped over the threshold into the Nobodies place of operations.

"Kairi!" Sora called, cupping his hands over his mouth to magnify the sound. "Where are you?!"

The King held out his hand, cutting the Idiot off quickly and whispered, "Shhh! Remember where you are! This is their stronghold."

Sora closed his mouth sheepishly just as the King suddenly dashed off. Donald and Goofy tried calling after him, but it was too late. He was gone. I guess he had his own problems to deal with here now that we had arrived. In any case, there were some enemies no doubt sent by the Organization that needed dealing with. For hours, we slashed our way up from the bottom of the Castle through the hundreds of Heartless and Nobodies until Saix appeared, halting our progress. After a quick exchange, he sent even more Heartless after us.

Looking over my shoulder at Sora as the first wave neared, I saw the look in his eyes and knew that he didn't want to release any more captive hearts. But if we didn't fight back, then we'd be overrun in less than a minute. Catching his gaze I bellowed, "We have to fight!"

"But–" he started, shifting unsurely from foot to foot as the little monsters drew closer, but was cut off by a familiar girl's voice calling, "Sora! It's really you!"

Shock made my mouth hang open. It was Kairi! But how did she make it out of the dungeon? I didn't have time to think it out though. We were surrounded. Jumping into action, I fought to keep the Heartless at bay, Sora fighting by my side. Only when I could barely stand did the onslaught stop.

From high above, a sneering voice asked, "Have you been good?"

"Show yourself!" Sora answered angrily, wiping at the thin sheen of sweat on his brow.

"Sounds like you haven't, Roxas." The man said, stepping into view.

"Roxas?" Sora wondered aloud, turning to Donald as he asked, "Did he just call me Roxas?"

At the sound of that name, my chest throbbed uncomfortably. Holding back my whimper, I let the familiar feeling of stabbing cold pain envelope my body. I stood rooted to the spot as the dark haired, eye patch clad Organization member continued, "You've really put the Organization in a pickle. I guess that's why the Keyblade chose you. But MAN, did it pick a dud this time!"

As I stood rooted to the spot, I swiveled my gaze onto the Nobodie in surprise. Had he just said, "this time"? Did that mean he knew who held The Keyblade before?!

"Are you done rambling?"

"Rambling?!" the man called, his voice taking on a dangerous quality. "As if. All I'm trying to tell you, and your little traitor, is that your time is up!"

Readying his shield Goofy cried anxiously, "Here he comes!"

I had no way to defend myself like this. I was a living statue without the benefit of being made of stone. The others must've thought I was a part of this scheme against them. But luckily – or unluckily, depending on how you looked at it – the Nobodie took my opportunistically prone state to deliver a blast of projectiles into my chest, knocking me over. Blacking out for a moment, I came to with Goofy administering quick first-aid. Groaning, I sat up and saw that they'd managed to defeat him.

"Why did you call me Roxas?" Sora asked, glaring down at the Nobodie.

"Hehhehheh," he chuckled, the scar on his left cheek twisting as he grimaced up at him. "Wouldn't you like to know…?"

At those last words, his body started fading. Had that been what happened to Axel? It was horrible to watch. Shaking his staff agitatedly Donald cried, "Now you just wait a minute!"

While they were busy watching him fade, I heard Kairi's voice over my shoulder crying out faintly. Getting to my feet, I watched as she fought off hoards of Heartless alongside someone else. Sora, turning to catch sight of her, led the way up to where she stood fighting side by side with the spitting image of Xehanort's Heartless, the one we fought years ago that took the name Ansem. Deciding that a confrontation could wait, we all helped clear the area of Heartless. And with a huge blush on his cheeks, Sora walked up to Kairi and said, "You have changed…but I'm glad you're here!"

"You and Riku never came home, so I came looking for you." She replied with a soft smile.

Guilt washed over his facial features as he hung his head. After a moment, he muttered, "I'm sorry."

Before he could finish, she ran to him and threw her arms around his midriff. Watching this all unfold, I felt…upset. But I couldn't figure out why. Was it because I wanted Sora to stop alienating me? Just then the Xehanort/Ansem look-alike opened a Dark Corridor and was preparing to leave when Sora called, "You saved Kairi, right? You've done some pretty horrible things in the past, but I have to be grateful that you rescued her so…thanks."

With a curt nod, he turned to leave once again when Kairi broke away from Sora, ran to him, picked up his hand effectively halting him, and cried out, "Riku, don't go!"

"Huh?!" Donald and Goofy spluttered in unison. My own jaw dropped as Sora stammered weakly, "Wh-what'd you just call him?!"

"Riku," she answered brightly.

Trying to tug his arm free the man said gruffly, "I'm no one – just a castaway from the Darkness."

Kairi, looking worried that the man might make a break for it, said to Sora over her shoulder, "Come here and say something to him!"

Still looking skeptical, Sora obliged. As he came to a stop next to her, she placed their hands together and mumbled, "Here…you'll understand. Close your eyes."

Holding my breath, I watched as Kairi backed away, giving the two their space. For a moment, all was silent. And then Sora sank to his knees in front of Riku and wept, tears streaming down his face, "Riku…It's Riku. Riku's here…"

"C'mon Sora," Riku said, his real voice ringing out clearly. "You've got to pull it together."

"I looked for you!" he choked out, still clutching Riku's hand with all his strength. "I looked everywhere for you!"

"I didn't want you to find me."

"But why didn't you let me know you were okay?"

"I told you, I didn't want to be found…not like this."

"Does that mean…you can't change back?" Kairi asked, her voice quivering a little above a whisper.

Riku's sad eyes turned to hers as he answered, "This battle isn't over. And until it is, I still need the power of Darkness."

Wiping at his eyes Sora said, "Then…let's finish it. You're still Riku, no matter what! So how about it, think we can handle one last rumble together?"

Rolling my eyes at his last choice of words, I followed after our now larger group, making sure to keep an eye out so no Heartless could sneak up over the sheer drops.

When we came to a ledge we saw a strange beam of light shooting straight into Kingdom Hearts. I strode closer to the edge as Riku explained that Diz/Ansem the Wise, must be the one behind it. A cry rang out alerting me to the danger, just in time to dodge out of the way of a line-up of giant playing cards. They swooped in carrying the others off, leaving only Sora and me to fight against our foe. My weapon flashed into my hand simultaneously with Sora's. He pointed to the blonde haired Organization member and cried, "You!"

"I'd rather we just skip the formalities," he answered with an accented sneer.

I had no problem with that. Leading into the fray, I cried out, distracting the Nobodie long enough for Sora to land a strike. On and on the fight went, until one flashing group of cards was sliced in half by Sora's Keyblade, revealing our enemy. With a loud thud, he fell to his hands and knees before us. Sucking in a painful sounding lungful of air, he reached a shaking hand out to Sora and called, "How could you…Roxas…"

As the last remains of his body faded into nothing Sora cried frustrated after him, "That's SORA!"

Standing with him alone looking out at this town that never was, for a brief second before the cards brought back our friends, my vision blurred. And it seemed like the spike-headed Keyblade Wielder was replaced with the boy he kept being mistaken for. There I was with him again. The sound of the others ushering us along though brought me out of my daydream.

But of course, we had one last attempt on our lives. Saix, the Nobodie we'd met on countless occasions over the worlds appeared and said coolly, "Only you could have made it this far in one piece…Roxas."

Throwing his arms up in defeat Sora cried, "That's really getting old!"

"Yeah," Donald added defiantly. "He's Sora!"

Shrugging his shoulders indifferently, he called out his weapon and said, "Different name, same fate."

Quickly leading Kairi away to safety, Riku left the fighting to the four of us. For a brief moment while we fought, it was like we were our old selves again, but after the Nobodie fell away into oblivion, Donald still glared and Sora still ignored.

Turning to Riku and Kairi as they strode back to his side, Sora asked, "I don't get it, why's everyone been calling me Roxas?"

"Because Sora," Riku started, catching my eye quickly. "Roxas is your Nobodie."

It felt like he'd run me through with his Keyblade. But, it made so much sense! Why didn't I put it together before? Sora's heart was taken. He turned into a Heartless to save Kairi! And the Organization needed the Keyblade Wielder to give them hearts to create their Kingdom Hearts, and being Sora's Nobodie, Roxas could do just that! That's why they'd made him a member!

"My…Nobodie?" Sora questioned, still taken aback. "But that's crazy; I never turned into a Heart–…oh, right."

Realization dawned finally. I was halfway through rolling my eyes when I caught sight of the look on his face. This news bothered him.

"…that's why he was brought to the Organization – but Roxas betrayed them. Actually, Roxas and Faitouru both did." Riku explained, making me start. My heart beat wildly in my chest as every set of eyes burned a hole through me with their questioning gazes.

Smiling reassuringly, Riku stepped to my side, placing his hand on my shoulder as he continued, "When you three went into Castle Oblivion after sealing the Doors to Kingdom Hearts, you and Fai were separated. The Organization took Fai and wiped his memories so he could Protect their own Keyblade Wielder. And when Roxas and Faitouru were deserting the Organization, I took both of them to Diz. That's where the Data Twilight Town came from. It was to keep the two of them safe while Sora's memories were being put back together by Namine."

He released me and went back to Sora's side saying, "Faitouru kept your other half safe while you were asleep."

I couldn't feel anything. As Riku's words sunk in, painting the picture of what happened; I found that I could drag up those memories one by one. I remembered vague images of that Castle and when I'd lost the others. So many doors…I'd felt everything falling away piece by piece until all I held onto was the memory of Sora. And then I remembered being an empty shell, newly inducted into Organization XIII. The reason I'd been feeling and acting so strange was because people had been messing with my head…my _heart_ all along? Then there had been Roxas. We'd found out so much together. That had really been a…a shadow of Sora the whole time? Where was he now? I felt my heart flutter slightly as I remembered being held in the Nobodie's arms…Sora's arms.

What did that mean? Trying to keep myself in check, I shakily wiped at my eyes before the others could see, and cleared my throat mumbling hurriedly, "We should go. The King's probably waiting."

I turned and headed for a balcony that wound up the side of the Castle, but was stopped short as a hand clamped down over my wrist. Muscling my face into one of calm, I turned back and met Sora's aqua marine gaze full on. Squeezing slightly he said, "Fai…I'm–"

This was stupid, I thought angrily as I fought to hold the tears back. So what if he was trying to say sorry? It happened. And besides, he shouldn't have doubted me and made me feel bad in the first place, the moron! I tried twisting out of his grip, but that only got him to take a hold of my other hand to keep me still. Pulling so I was facing him directly, he stepped closer and said earnestly, "Fai…"

"Shut up…" I whispered keeping my eyes fixed stubbornly on my shoes as I screwed my face up, but those big, stupid eyes of his kept looking down at me. I wouldn't last much longer. My body started trembling as I shook my head and repeated, my emotions making the words sound clumsy, "Shut up…!"

Gathering me into his chest, I tried pushing him off with my shaking hands. Pressing his cheek against the top of my curls he whispered thickly, "I'm so sorry, Fai…"

He didn't hate me anymore. Closing my eyes, I let myself absorb the comfort and relief those words offered for just a moment. And then, gently this time, I pushed him away. Rubbing at my eyes with the back of my hand, I offered up a small nod before stomping over to my other two friends whacking them both upside the head and crying, "Well?!"

"Gawrsh, Faitouru," Goofy started, rubbing his head. "We're really sorry we thought all those mean things about ya."

"Yeah, and treated you badly." Donald added sheepishly.

Nodding curtly in satisfaction I said clearing my throat, "Alright, now that's taken care of, let's finish this!"

Everyone grinned widely; following me closely out to the balcony.


	31. TWTNW, Dark Realm

After jogging for what felt like hours, we finally crested the incline and found both the King and Ansem the Wise standing next to some sort of machine that was emitting the strange beam of light. As we neared, I heard Ansem say with a sad smile, "After all…hearts are unpredictable."

Catching sight of us, he instantly sought out Sora and called, "The rest is up to you…and Roxas – I doubt you can hear me – but…I am sorry."

The contraption clutched in his arms let out a horrible grating sound and sparked. King Mickey reached out and cried, "Ansem!"

"My heart is telling me what I must do." He said gritting his teeth as the machine went into a wild frenzy of shudders. "Please allow me to do what it says, my old friend!"

"No!" the King called, trying to rush towards him. But Riku placed a hand on his shoulder holding him back and said over the noise, "His heart's decided, we can't change that."

Another disturbing series of utterances and spark flying had us all cringing and taking a step back. That was when I saw the Dark Corridor spring up. Motioning to it, I readied my weapon.

"I was wondering who would dare interfere with my Kingdom Hearts. And look – here you all are, how convenient for me." Xemnas said, looking down his nose at us as his amber eyes flashed menacingly. When his gaze fell on Ansem he smirked and called, "Ansem the Wise…you look pathetic."

The old man, still keeping a firm hold on his contraption, closed his eyes and shook his head muttering, "Have your laugh. I deserve as much for failing to see you for the fool you are."

"Students do take after their teachers." Xemnas countered amusedly. "After all, none of this would have happened without you. It was your research that inspired me to go further than you ever dared."

Still keeping his distance from us, the Nobodie circled around to get a better look at Ansem and continued, "I'm creating a brand new world, one heart at a time. Something you could never hope to accomplish. But I understand, unlike me, you have a heart. And you're powerless to control it. Consumed by the jealousy you feel toward the student who surpassed you!"

"Xehanort," Ansem began, shaking his head sadly. "Foolish apprentice of a foolish man, you have surpassed _nothing_ – only proved how little we both know. We are just as oblivious as when we began. I'm afraid that any world of your 'creation' would be an empire of ignorance. That is why you are destined to fall."

The Nobodie's eyes bore into Ansem's as the old man stood proudly against him. Suddenly, the machine began shuddering uncontrollably, but still Ansem was able to call back strongly, "Enough! Riku, you know what to do! King Mickey, my friend, forgive me! Farewell!"

Time slowed as Xemnas slid back into a Dark Corridor like the snake he was, the King tried running to Ansem's side only to be held back by Riku, and I clamped down hard on Sora's wrist stopping him from doing the same. Before any of us could make a run for it, though, a bright pulse of white energy engulfed the area as the machine exploded. Throwing a hand up to cover my eyes, I wrenched a stunned Sora back behind me just in time to shield him from a second more powerful wave.

When my mind stopped reeling, I opened my eyes slowly and mentally checked to make sure all my body parts were still attached. Just as I was about to push myself into a sitting position, I heard Sora call Riku's name. In the next instant, he'd rushed by me to his side. What we all saw when we looked around, was a very welcome sight. Riku looked like his old self again.

Helping Mickey to his feet he remarked in awe, "Ansem did say 'anything could happen'…"

Even Riku was stunned. He had accepted that he would never change back, and then Kingdom Hearts gave it to him. Smiling, I came up to his side as Sora asked, "Aren't you gonna take that off?"

Reaching up with a shaky hand, the older boy removed the blindfold over his eyes. Curiously I asked, "What was that for?"

"His eyes couldn't lie." The King answered solemnly. I looked back into Riku's turquoise eyes and nodded in understanding. Grinning like the idiot he was Sora asked, "And who exactly were you trying to fool?"

"Myself."

"Riku…c'mon man! Why did you try to do so much on your own?" Sora cried, throwing an arm around his friend's shoulder chummily as he motioned to the rest of us. "You've got lots of friends!"

Offering up a small smile, he slipped from the spike-head's grasp and said teasingly, in a way that I imagined was his true self, "Have you forgotten? I'll tell you why. 'Cause _I'm_ not a total sap like _you_!"

Pouting with his hands on his hips Sora cried challengingly, "Say that again!"

As we all joined in the laughter, I found myself looking back to the Kingdom Hearts that Xemnas had been trying to create. It was destroyed. The whole middle of it had been blown open, letting thousands of hearts shimmer in the dim light as they drifted lazily to the ground. It was beautiful, like flower petals on the wind. Or so I thought until I saw all the Heartless it was creating. Letting the smile quickly fade from my lips, I yanked on Sora's sleeve and pointed to the creatures heading straight for us.

"What should we do?" Sora asked eyes wide.

"We need to defeat Xemnas! He's the last Organization member."

Riku answered, the King nodding approval as well.

"Right!" Sora and I said in unison, calling out our Keyblades. With a flourish, Riku yanked off his coat to reveal his normal clothes underneath. Determinedly, he called out his own Keyblade and dashed off towards the summit of the Castle, calling back, "C'mon!"

Sure enough, we found Xemnas monologing his loss of Kingdom Hearts. I was prepared for everything except what happened. As the Nobodie turned and threatened us, both he and Sora vanished. My heart sank lower than it ever had before. That's the second time since being here that I wasn't able to keep him safe! Frantically, I started calling his name and asking where he was alongside Riku and Kairi. But even after twenty minutes, there was still nothing. I screamed, "You big idiot, come _back_! _SORA_!"

That's when I felt it, his presence. Whirling around, I caught sight of his still form reappearing on the ground a few feet away. Rushing to his side, I helped him back to his feet. Aside from some slight disorientation, he barely had a scratch on him. Riku rushed up as well and breathed in relief, "You're okay!"

Clutching his head, Sora asked, "Where's Xemnas?"

Almost as an answer we heard the madman's voice boom out and cry, "It seems we must begin anew! Hear me Kingdom Hearts; I will give to you as many hearts as it takes!"

Following the sound of his voice, I discovered him suspended in the center of the broken Kingdom Hearts Ansem had just destroyed, arms outstretched. The King ran to the edge of the platform and cried out, "Xemnas, no!"

"Lend me your power…the power to erase the fools that come between us!"

His eyes burning with the fire of power surging through him as he turned to face us, he continued, "Ansem believed the heart's true nature was beyond his understanding. But…it is not beyond mine! Hearts filled with Darkness are the source of all power!"

And with that, he was gone in a flash.

"Coward!" Sora spat loudly.

The King, balling his hands into fists, said determinedly, "He's not gonna get away from us now!"

But how were we going to follow him into Kingdom Hearts? It seemed impossible. Just then, Kairi yanked on my sleeve and pointed, "Look at that!"

A Door, one almost identical to the one we'd gone through into Kingdom Hearts years ago materialized before our eyes. It never ceased to impress me when the power of Light gave us a helping hand.

"The worlds gave us this doorway. They want us to be the guardians of their Destiny." The King muttered in humble awe.

"Let's go, Xemnas must be inside." Riku said, checking his supply of potions.

"Once we go through, there's no turning back. So, Sora…you ready?" I asked with a wink, smirking over at my best friend as I handed him an extra elixir. He shared my smile and nodded, storing it as he, Riku, and the King stepped up with drawn Keyblades. I felt my heart swell as their combined power unlocked the Door. Glancing over at me one last time, Sora said determinedly, "It all ends here!"

Together, we all strode through into the unknown. Once on the other side, I was surprised to see that this place resembled the world we'd just been in quite a bit, albeit a little darker and cruder. From the other side of the smaller version of the world Xemnas called amusedly, "So…it seems your hearts have led you to obliteration. Perhaps it doesn't pay to be too loyal to one's heart. I will make sure to remember that!"

The Nobodie raised his hands which were glowing with intense Dark powers, raising with that movement a nearby building. Eyes widening, I grabbed a hold of both Riku and Sora who were nearest, and pushed them to make a run for the exit. The impact on the ground made me lose my footing, sending me tumbling into Riku, who in turn ran into Sora. Thankfully though, we were spared being crushed by a bit of the broken architecture. But when I looked up, I saw the Doors were closing, and on the other side trying to run back to us was Donald, Goofy, the King, and Kairi. It was just Riku, Sora and I left. At least they were safe, I thought as I got to my feet. Sora was already facing Xemnas, ready for a fight. Glancing back he called, "We can take him!"

Turned out we _could_ take him, but just barely. The longer the fight dragged on, the more I began to realize the effects of being so close to the Realm of Darkness had on me. I was growing weaker, but I still fought hard. There was no way I was going to get either of them hurt because I was a little tired. When we delivered the last blows to the power-hungry jerk on his throne, he let out a piteous groan, and we were sent back out to the World That Never Was where our friends were waiting for us on top of the Castle anxiously.

Now no longer with his borrowed power Xemnas sat on hands and knees in front of us and panted, "I need…more hearts…"

"You know," Sora began, gazing down at the Nobodie piteously. "There's more to a heart than anger or hate. It's full of all kinds of feelings. Don't you remember?"

Still taking in deep breaths, Xemnas peered up at us curiously and muttered, "Unfortunately…I don't…"

At last, he was gone! Donald and Goofy had already started on a victory dance with Kairi as the King said, "Gosh fellas, you all did a swell job!"

Beaming proudly, he too joined in the celebration. If I had the energy to, I'd definitely be up there jumping up and down with them, but honestly I was drained. Instead, I walked to Sora's side as he asked Riku, "You're coming back with us, right?"

"I gave in to the Darkness…" he muttered dejectedly.

"_Seriously_?!" I scolded; unable to control my mouth I was getting so tired. I mean, jeez, why did he keep beating up on himself?

"How am I going to face everyone?"

Sora reached around, took a hold of my cheeks and mashed them together as he answered simply, "Like this."

Batting him away, to my relief I heard Riku burst out in laughter. Sora may be an idiot, but sometimes, it was exactly what was needed. Without warning, the Castle trembled beneath our feet, effectively cutting off the celebrating. The King told us to hurry, to which Riku replied confidently, "I'll open a path!"

Closing his eyes, he raised his hand and pointed to an open spot on the other side of the platform. When nothing happened, he looked down at it in utter confusion. The King merely smiled triumphantly in answer, "You don't belong in the Dark Realm anymore, Riku."

"But then, how're we going to get out of here, Your Majesty?" I asked worriedly, glancing around for any signs.

The next thing I saw made my heart skip a beat. It was…Namine, the girl that had erased my memories for the Organization! But she wasn't…whole anymore. Her body was transparent as she stood plain as day on the other side of the platform. She smiled as our eyes met before opening a Dark Corridor and vanishing. Running up to it, Donald peered around and asked suspiciously, "Who did this?!"

"Welp, I'm not too sure, but we'd better hurry and get through!" the King answered as Pluto (I don't even want to know how that dog manages to pop up out of nowhere anymore) rushed by him barking madly into the swirling Darkness. Goofy hollering for the dog to wait up ran in after him, followed closely by Donald and the King. Again I blinked, and the ghost of Namine appeared before the Dark Corridor. But as Sora and Kairi walked up to her, I tried averting my gaze to give them time to talk.

"Thank you, Namine." Kairi said graciously.

"Sure," the blonde haired girl replied, offering up a smile. Then she turned her gaze on Sora and said, "See? We meet again."

"Huh?"

I wasn't sure how many more shocks my heart could go through in a day. Another boy's voice, one that I instantly recognized as Roxas' said, "You did say we would, but that when we did, we might not recognize each other."

Clutching my burning chest, I full-out gaped over at the apparition that materialized out of Sora (who jumped about three feet in the air at the sight). It really was Roxas, smiling crookedly over at Namine.

"I did, didn't I?"

"But I knew you."

"It's strange. I always thought Nobodies were doomed to fade back into Darkness…"

"Yeah, but you and I didn't. We got to meet our original selves."

"And we can be together again!"

"Right, anytime Sora and Kairi are together."

Smiling happily, Kairi nudged Sora's shoulder and said, "Don't worry; we'll be together every day. Right, Sora?"

"Uh…y-yeah!" he answered, a slight blush tinting his cheeks.

Nodding in gratitude, Namine stepped forward and offered her hand to Kairi who took it gladly. I watched in awe as she slowly absorbed back into her "original self" in a gentle blue light. But when I looked to Roxas, I couldn't help but feel like I didn't want him to leave. I still couldn't remember everything that we'd been through together, but I knew that it would be painful to see him disappear. And almost like he knew I was watching, he turned to look at me over Sora's shoulder. His smiling face fell as he gazed at me forlornly. My dull nails dug into the skin of my palms as Riku passed by me and came to a stop by Sora. All of them watched as the Nobodie began to fade like Namine.

But to my great surprise, as they believed he'd gone back into Sora, he instead appeared right before me. I made a small gasp, but stopped it as I clamped my hands over my mouth firmly. Thankfully the others didn't notice.

"Thought I'd leave without saying goodbye, didn't you?" he asked, his crooked smile making his boyish face glow with happiness.

Tentatively I looked up into his bright sapphire eyes and asked faintly, "R-Roxas…?"

"Do you remember me?"

That simple question held so much pain and sadness, and…hope. A single tear fell from my eye as I whispered thickly, "Not everything, but…I…I _feel_ more than that."

As I said it, I knew it was true. Deep in my heart I could feel that he and I had something special between us. Just like that, I saw his eyes fill with so much joy. It was amazing. Closing my eyes as I took in a steadying breath I asked, "I'm never going to see you again…am I?"

Opening them, I watched as he reached up and placed his hand against my cheek. I couldn't exactly feel it there, but it did send a warm and loving pulse through to my heart. I knew this feeling. He'd touched me like this before. More tears fell as I realized how much I craved that comfort, but knew I'd never have it again.

"I'll be with you every time you're with Sora. He and I are the same." He answered softly.

No…he has Kairi.

"But…just for now, _I_ want to do this," he whispered, bending so his lips were level with mine. It was a kiss…or the ghost of one at least. Even then, it was the most beautiful thing that'd ever happened to me. When his presence began to fade, I felt his fingertips pass over my eyelids, telling me silently to keep them shut. I didn't try to go against his wishes. I merely stood there, trembling as he whispered faintly, "…love you…"

No matter what, Roxas, I would try my best to get all my memories back for you. Keeping my voice steady I mumbled back, "…love you too…"

He was gone. Slowly I opened my eyes and gazed out at the dark sky. Trying to swallow the lump in my throat, I quickly wiped at my cheeks and headed towards the others. Kairi was just stepping through the Dark Corridor when she spun around, fear in her eyes. My pace quickened as I saw the Corridor closing over her. She called our names, but before any of us could react, it closed. In disbelief Sora breathed, "What…?"

What would we do now? The Castle was collapsing under us; we didn't have time to find another way out! Glancing to Sora I felt my heart throb. It couldn't end like this. Not now. Off in the distance, a thunderous roar cut through the air. I watched in terror as an enormous Nobodie in the shape of a dragon soared straight toward us. And of course as it narrowly missed crashing in to the tower we stood on, the force of its wind caused the base to crumble.

Reaching out, I clutched Sora in a desperate attempt at trying to save him from tumbling off the edge. As the platform continued breaking, we started sliding down the steep angle it created. There, far below the streets of the World That Never Was had become overrun by Heartless. All of it was an undulating sea of black bodied, yellow-eyed creatures, destroying the world. If the fall didn't kill us, then those things stealing our hearts would.

"Sora, I-" I started, my eyes never leaving the ground far below. But I was cut off as he called after Riku who'd just taken a running leap off of the platform. I gaped after him. Literally without warning, he was gone. Sora cried out again, moving to follow, but I held him back unable to say anything. And then both of us heard the unmistakable sound of an engine firing up. A shiver of relief flooded my body as a flying machine launched into the sky. It was Riku!

Clutching my arm in a vice grip, Sora let out a long breath and laughed as we watched Riku swing the vehicle around and situated it at the bottom of the now rapidly descending platform. It looked like there was a sort of sidecar that both of us could stand on! Worriedly, I glanced back over to Sora who seemed to see the same problem I saw. It was small. If both of us jumped at the same time, we might over balance on landing and end up falling off.

"I'll go first, and catch you okay?" Sora called over the noise of stone breaking apart beneath us.

A slight blush tinted my cheeks, making me quickly chastise myself. At a time like this? Seriously? He squeezed my arm one last time as he offered up a small reassuring smile. Just as he was preparing to push off and run down I cried warningly, "You better not miss me!"

He merely gave me that wide grin of his, then stood and ran down towards Riku. At the edge, he launched off spectacularly, and for a moment, he was suspended in mid-air. And then his feet landed roughly. For one horrifying second, it looked like he was going to lose his balance, but after wind milling his arms rapidly, he stabilized himself. I let out the breath I'd been holding as he turned to look up at me. Motioning with his hands, I gulped, realizing it was my turn to take the leap over hundreds of feet of nothing.

"Alright, you can do this…" I muttered to myself, standing shakily. Keeping pressure in my toes to keep myself upright, I braced myself by taking in one more deep steadying breath.

The tower beneath me suddenly buckled without warning. I tried to stay on my feet, but the abrupt jolt jarred me from my position, sending me head over heels down the plummeting platform. As the world went over and over on itself I managed to catch sight of Sora and Riku drawing further away looking absolutely terrified. Then my head hit a hard surface, and I was too dazed to catch a hold of the side of the platform. Air now rushed past me. Blearily, I looked down and saw that as the seconds ticked by, the undulating layer of Heartless grew closer.

"Fai!"

Without a second to lose, I felt a hand close over my wrist and wrench me into a pair of warm arms. Still dazed from the blow to the head, I felt my legs give out from under me. But it was alright; my savior propped my dead weight against his own and cast a healing spell. Blinking furiously as the fog cleared from my mind, I looked up and met Sora's gaze. His eyes were full of tears, but that was probably just from the wind going by as Riku steered us towards the flying Nobodie Dragon. Still, it was nice to see that he cared. And maybe I was a little loopy still, but I flung my arms around his neck and held him close as I breathed, "Good catch…"

He didn't say anything back. We didn't really have time. The enemy was drawing nearer and we had to be ready. Quickly, I released him to stand on my own and pulled out a potion. Downing its contents, I called out my Keyblade and readied myself for another battle; which we handled fairly quickly. Panting, I wondered if maybe there was something making it weaker. As an answer, we watched the dragon disappear with a piteous moan, and reveal what looked like a giant black hole.

"What is that?!" I asked anxiously.

"The Heartless are swallowing this world!" Riku answered, desperately keeping the little ship's steering column forced away from the black hole. But it didn't matter, suddenly the ship's power blew out and we were sent spiraling into the Darkness. I just held onto Sora as tightly as I could until finally we crashed onto something solid.

Groaning as I rubbed my head, I slowly got into a sitting position. Peering up, I noticed that Sora and Riku were already on their feet ready for anything. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as a familiar voice called out, "Heroes from the Realm of Light…I will not allow it to end this way – not yet. If Light and Darkness are eternal, then surely we Nothings must be the same…Eternal!"

Honestly, I was getting really tired of this guy. I thought as I struggled to my feet. My head swam as I stood on unsteady legs. This place being so close to the Darkness was sapping the energy right out of me.

"You're right, Light and Darkness are eternal. Nothing probably goes on forever too. But guess what?" Riku said his Keyblade flashing into his hand. Sora's followed suit as he finished fiercely, "That doesn't mean _you're_ eternal!"

Xemnas, whom I was still having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that he was still around, let out a burst of mocking laughter before narrowing his eyes at us and muttering, "No more eternal than that radiance of yours…"

In a second, he had launched himself after us. Sora quickly blocked while Riku took a swing. It connected, sending Xemnas back a few steps. Then his eyes met mine, and I knew that I was in for a hard fight. Weakly, I stood my ground, but for this battle, I was useless. Mostly I kept myself staggering after our enemy, trying to pose as a distraction so the others could use it to their advantage. More than once, I found myself splayed on the ground unable to lift my head for a few minutes.

Leaning on my Keyblade, I started heading over to where Sora had crashed to the ground to help him get back on his feet, when I saw Riku standing in front of Xemnas. A sort of white power was radiating from him, and in a second, I had to hold a hand up to cover my eyes from its brilliance as it grew in intensity. What was that? Keeping my eyes shut, I heard Xemnas utter a cry of defeat as Riku's strange new power sent him back to the Nothing he came from. When I lowered my hand, he was gone.

"We did it…" Sora breathed in relief.

Without warning, Riku collapsed with a small whimper. Helping Sora up, we both walked unsteadily to his side and knelt next to him. Searching my pockets, I discovered that I didn't have any more potions or elixirs left. Sora too, was out. Riku muttered through clenched teeth, "Sora…I can't…"

"Don't say that! It's not over! It's just not!" Sora cried, making me wince with its fierceness.

He still thought we'd make it out of here in one piece? Did he even realize where we were and in what condition? I didn't see any hope for our situation, but as his eyes met mine, I felt my resolve crumble. I promised myself a long time ago that I'd put all my faith in Sora, no matter how stupid it sounded. This was no exception. Placing my hand on Riku's shoulder, I used what little I had left of my magic to heal him as much as I could. Then I helped haul Riku up and prop him against Sora.

"Even if we could go on…look where we are," Riku said in disbelief.

I watched as Sora plastered a painful smile on his face as he answered, "Aw, c'mon Riku…you've been hanging out in the Darkness too long. You gotta try and think positive!"

And with that, Sora hoisted him a little higher and started leading the way into the unknown. Struggling to put one foot in front of the other, I followed after the two of them. Every so often, I would trip over my own shoes, but I just kept them as my reference point, and slowly pushed the pain and fatigue to the back of my mind. My body had grown entirely numb by the time Riku muttered, "You know…I always figured I was better at stuff than you."

"_Really_?" Sora replied jokingly, shifting his weight once again.

Hanging his head, Riku asked, "Are you mad?"

"No, I kinda always thought you were better at everything too."

I'm not sure if Riku believed Sora, but I did. Over the past few years I'd known him, every time he brought up Destiny Islands, the conversation would always circle around to something Riku had done that made Sora look up to him even more. Rolling my eyes I mumbled to myself, "Personally, I think you both have confidence issues…"

"Hey, look!" Sora cried out. "What's that light?"

Looking up just before the three of us stepped through I felt my body become flooded with warmth and happiness. It was like walking into a bright grove full of flowers and green moss; but more than that I caught a faint feeling of going home. And then the texture of the ground under my feet changed. Sand gave way beneath my shoes as the portal disappeared. When my eyes cleared, I saw that the feeling I'd received did in no way match the scene that greeted me.

A craggy beach stretched out as far as the eye could see. And before us, under the towering silhouettes of menacing rock formations, was a black lake. I felt my heart sink. We were still in the Realm of Darkness. As the last of the light faded, the feeling of Darkness closing in around me, draining me of my energy came back in full force.

"End of the road?" Riku asked, looking around as we all came to a halt.

"Yep…" Sora answered quietly.

"Put me down. I can walk."

I glanced over at Riku with a brow raised as he pulled himself into a standing position. Swaying slightly, my half lidded eyes followed Sora's path to the edge of the black water after leaving Riku to stand on his own. For a moment Sora stood there, gazing out into the dark, and then I could barely hear him whisper to himself, "You know…maybe the Darkness has gotten to me too."

What could he mean by that?

A small noise from Riku alerted me just in time. Relying on my instincts mostly, I reached out just as his legs buckled, and caught him in my arms. The force of him falling into me, took me off guard, however. In a blink of an eye, both of us lay sprawled on the sand. Sora called our names from what seemed like a mile away. Sluggishly, I opened my eyes and saw him kneeling next to Riku. Shaking my head slightly, I forced myself to push up into a sitting position. This was no time for being weak. We were still stuck here after all. And Sora needed me to be strong.

"This world is perfect for me." Riku said, arms shaking as he slowly propped himself up. "If this is all there is, just this…then maybe I _should_ fade back into Darkness."

"Riku…" Sora breathed, his brows coming together worriedly.

Glancing down at me, Riku smiled slightly as I helped him up the rest of the way; now we all sat facing the water as he said, "If all the Worlds are made up of Light and Darkness, then…we'll be the Darkness."

Could that be possible? For the first time since being torn away from Junction and starting my journey, I felt like maybe being in the Dark wasn't so bad.

"Yeah," Sora whispered, situating himself a little more comfortably next to Riku. "The other side…the Realm of Light is safe now. They're all there, safe."

"Exactly…"

Hearing the acceptance in Riku's voice made me extremely glad that he didn't have to wander alone in these shadows anymore. Sora and I were here now. Riku asked us if we'd help him down to the water, which I complied with. I kept him steady while Sora slung his arm around his shoulder once again. Gritting my teeth against my body screaming for me to stop, I followed. Once I'd collapsed next to them and felt the brush of cool water against my legs, I let my head fall back. Right now, the sand felt softer than any pillow I'd ever lain on before.

"At least the waves sound the same," Riku sighed from above me. I let out a soft chuckle as I realized that he was right. I could imagine that I was back in Junction, resting peacefully against the oak tree in my special spot. Ah, but he was probably talking about Destiny Islands. Letting my mind wander, I found myself imagining what the warm sun from their home would feel like on my skin. What did the air taste like? How did the plants smell?

The longer I let myself get pulled into my dream, the more it started feeling real. Soon, I was running along glimmering white sand, bare toes digging in as I propelled myself after two boys ahead of me. They didn't look much older than five or six. But the hair I would recognize anywhere. Silver strands, just barely brushing his shoulders could only mean Riku, and a thick head of warm brown spikes had to be Sora. We were laughing as I struggled to catch up with them. Finally exhausted, I collapsed under the shade of a palm leaf and called after their retreating backs, "_Fine you jerks, at least bring me back some water!_"

Smirking to myself, I let the heat of the day radiate into my gleaming skin. I lay there contently, waiting for them to come back until I felt someone's hand close tightly over my shoulder. After being yanked up and out into the light, I tried focusing on who it was leading me across the sand. All I could make out was a tall silhouette. Who was that?

The sound of Sora's excited voice jolted me from my dream. Instantly I regretted waking up. My body was so heavy; I could barely even lift my head. When it became clear to the others that I wasn't going to get up any time soon, I felt them hoist my limp form off the ground. Between the two of them, they were able to drag me out into the water towards a bright beam of Light. Squinting as we drew nearer, I thankfully felt the pressure of the Darkness falling away to be replaced by a feeling of being lighter than air.


	32. Destiny Islands, End

I couldn't feel anything. Only my mind was left, soaring through the endless white. At least that is until a sudden blast of cold engulfed me, shocking me into awareness. For a moment, all I could do was float in the cold, my brain not really registering with what just happened. And then I realized, as my lungs started burning, that I was in water! Summoning up the strength from deep in the depths of my bruised body, I swam towards the surface. As my head broke through, I took in a great lungful of air, coughing and glancing around wildly for Sora and Riku.

There they were, also wiping the water from their eyes. And over on the shore, miraculously, stood Kairi waving happily from the glittering white sands of the island. My jaw dropped as I realized that that was the island I'd heard Sora describe to me over and over again over the course of three years. There it was! Finally I was seeing it for the first time! It was even better in person - not even exaggerating.

In his excitement to reach the girl he'd been in love with, the backsplash from Sora diving forward caught me full in the face. Spluttering, I tried throwing an insult after him, but decided against it. I couldn't ruin this moment for him. Instead, I hung my head and slowly paddled after him. When I was close enough to shore to stand, I had a hard time wading against the current. I was still weak from our lengthy stint in the Realm of Darkness. Thankfully, Riku and (surprise) the King helped me up from the shallows. Shaking my head, trying to rid it of the water, I thanked them softly and sank down onto the hot sand. Gooseflesh erupted all over my skin at the contrast, also sending a small shiver up my spine. It felt amazing being here.

A potion was placed in my daydreaming hands, pulling me back to the present. Offering Goofy a smile of gratitude, I pressed the bottle to my lips and downed it all in one gulp. Immediately it had an effect. Able to stand again, I turned and caught sight of Sora and Kairi with their heads bowed close as they spoke softly to each other. Strange feelings passed over me, making me press my lips into a thin line as heat boiled to my face. Why was I acting like this? Shouldn't I be happy that my best friend was finally reunited with the girl he'd been looking for?

But I wasn't happy for him, I realized. Deep down, I was jealous. That was it. To me I was watching some gorgeous, smart, funny, sweet girl talking intimately with the boy that I'd fallen for…Roxas. A sharp pang in my chest made me turn my head quickly. I couldn't think that way. Sora was Sora. And he had Kairi. I just needed to…forget about Roxas already, and anything that'd happened between us in Twilight Town. That hadn't been real. What was real was Sora and Kairi.

"Welp fellas, duty calls!" the King announced.

Sora broke away to ask, putting on that lost puppy dog face of his, "What? Why so soon? We just got here!"

"We have business to take care of!" Donald answered importantly, sharing a knowing look with the King as he stuck his bill importantly in the air. In response, the King took a step toward Sora and said seriously, "This war isn't over yet. Be on the lookout. We may need you sooner than you think!"

All of us stood and absorbed this quietly. Looking over the King's shoulder, I tried catching Sora's eye to share a look, when I saw that he'd already glanced back at Kairi. Curling my hand into a determined fist I told myself fiercely that it was nothing. They've been apart for a really long time. It's only natural that he wants to be with her as much as possible. It wasn't like he was ignoring me on purpose.

Unable to think of anything else to say I blurted, "Can I come with you?"

Everyone turned to me in surprise. It took the King a moment to come up with the right words to say, until finally he reached out and took my hand as he explained, "Gee Fai, when we get more information about the threat to the Worlds, we'll let you know. But right now, you gotta stay here."

I nodded deftly, trying to ignore the feeling of Sora's eyes boring holes into the back of my head. He meant that I needed to be the Protector, and watch out for these guys. Nodding, I suddenly felt exhausted all over again. When could this day be done?

"I'll give you fellas some time to say goodbye." Mickey said softly to Donald and Goofy, giving my hand one last squeeze before walking off down the beach. I blinked. I guess I was so used to having those two goofballs around; it didn't even cross my mind thinking they'd leave too. They've been a part of my life for so long, and have gone through so much with me. As I looked over at them, my eyes welling up, I realized that a part of my heart would break seeing them go. I really thought of them as family.

Forcing the tears back behind a stubborn upper lip, I waited next to Sora while Riku and Kairi followed silently after the King. Goofy as he neared, eyes glistening in the late afternoon sun, said thickly, "Gawrsh fellas, looks like this is gonna be goodbye."

From the first day that I met them when they literally fell at my feet on top of an unsuspecting Sora, to when we fought Maleficent and Ansem side-by-side, all the way to now at the end, came rushing through my mind. Screwing up my face, I watched as Sora threw his arms around the two and started wailing. It wasn't long after that that I followed suit. As soon as we all stood together, it dawned on me that this was probably the last time I'd see them for a while. I lost what little composure I'd been maintaining.

"We'll see each other again," Sora sniffed, large tears still coursing down his cheeks. Wiping discreetly at my own eyes, I stood and cleared my throat.

"Definitely," Goofy answered brightly.

Resting his hand over the spot where his heart was, Donald added, "You'll always be here!"

Both Sora and I nodded, taking in deep steadying breaths as we watched our two companions' wave one last time before turning and walking away. Soon, it was just the two of us standing on the shore, listening to the cry of a lone seagull overhead. Unable to bear the painful goodbye any longer I turned so I could rub at my nose without Sora seeing.

"Hey Fai…?" Sora asked gently, his voice unsteady. Sighing, I glanced at him over my shoulder. The sun was behind him, casting his face in shadow, making his expression hard to make out.

"Were you…were you serious…about leaving?" he asked after fidgeting for a moment under my gaze.

The sound of the waves against the shore suddenly grew louder, making me realize how much tension there was between us at this moment. Shooting it a glance, I tried to keep my head under control while I thought up an answer. The fact was…I had no idea. Sure I was mad about Kairi. And maybe I felt like Sora had grown strong enough to the point where he didn't need me watching over him like a hawk. And then there was the fact that I hadn't set foot in Junction in close to three years. Could it be that I was just jealous of Sora and the life he had waiting for him here? No, because despite all that, I would stick around.

But then...why did I have this overwhelming urge to leave?

_It's calling you…Protector._

_Your Destiny lies ahead._

Shaking my head, I started, "Sora, I–"

"Come over here you two!"

We both jumped as Kairi stood on the balls of her feet waving energetically at us from the other side of the small island. I had to admit, she was stunning; the dying sunlight spilled across her delicate ivory skin and shimmering maroon hair in a golden shower, illuminating both spectacularly. Involuntarily, my mouth closed as I watched her start towards us, motioning invitingly with her outstretched hand. Jealousy stabbed through me as I watched the power she had over Sora take hold. Avoiding his gaze, I waited for him to tell her to give us a minute. But that never came. Once again, I took a back seat. Closing my eyes to hide the regret I felt, I started towards her, leaving Sora behind.

As I neared, she grinned and explained, "I think you three could use some more potions, so I'm going to make a quick trip to the main island."

I could feel Sora tense up with the realization of the thought of returning home, even from a few feet back. Striding giddily over to him, she looped her arm through his as she asked, "You wanna come too? You could say hi to your mom?"

A stab of cold ran through me as I was suddenly reminded that my own mother hadn't seen me in three years, that is…if she was still alive.

"You can come too Faitouru," Kairi added smiling warmly over at me. "I'd be happy to show you around!"

Before I let my emotions take a hold of me and make me say something I might regret, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and muttered, "No…you go on. I'll stay here and…keep an eye on Riku."

With that, I turned on my heel and started walking stiffly in the opposite direction. I cursed myself for acting like such a jerk, but honestly, I didn't care. It hurt. My heart felt like it was trying to break right down the middle. As I crossed under the bridge suspended between the island and the small peninsula holding the crooked palm tree, I heard the sound of footfall behind me. My face darkened as I forced myself to come to a stop.

"I thought you should know that…that Riku's up there," Sora offered lamely as he came to a halt beside me, motioning to the crooked palm tree. I felt my face harden into a scowl as I changed course. I had every intention of stomping to any place on this island that was secluded, but I did say that I said I'd 'look after Riku'. Personally I didn't think he needed looking after, but since it seemed Sora wanted me to, I would.

Annoyingly enough, I heard his footfall following me the whole way up to where Riku stood resting. Trying to tell myself to calm down, I jumped up on the tree and let myself relax. As Sora came to a stop, Riku muttered, "Nothing's changed, huh?"

"Nope…" he answered, his eyes still gazing over at me. "Nothing will."

"What a small World…" Riku whispered, not really to anyone in particular.

A flash of Junction came to mind as I thought, 'sometimes small and simple is a good thing'. Too bad all of us figured that out the hard way. I would love to be able to lie under the oak tree in Junction one more time.

Nudging his friend, Sora added, "But part of one that's much bigger."

Eyes bright, the tall silver haired teen nodded. Sora grinned, and opened his mouth to say something else, when he was once again cut off by Kairi calling our names as she frantically ran across the bridge to us.

"What's up?" Sora asked concerned, eyes fixed curiously on the glass bottle clutched in her hands. Jumping down from my spot, I too studied the bottle as she explained, "I was getting the boat ready when I saw this! Look!"

All of us peered down as she held out the bottle for examination, the note inside instantly becoming apparent. And the King's seal on the rolled up letter set me on edge. Snatching up the bottle, and shaking out the letter, Sora quickly started scanning the words. All of us leaned in reading over his shoulder. The further I went, the more my brows furrowed.

"Mark of Mastery?" I wondered aloud. "What's that?"

Realizing what this meant, Sora's eyes scanned over the letter once again before turning to the small island as he muttered, "I thought…we'd have more time."

I felt bad even if it made me angry thinking of it. He'd only just reunited with the girl he loves and his home, and now he's being summoned to embark on another adventure that will take him far away for who knows how long. All four of us looked into each other's eyes and wondered just what kind of a new journey we would be getting ourselves into this time.

~O~

a/n: Don't worry everyone! It's not done yet! Wait for Part 5, coming soon!


	33. Part Four: Bonus Chapter

Looking through his eyes with my own felt strange. It was like gazing out at the world moving around me through a pane of glass. But somehow, it was welcome and familiar. I knew that sooner or later, Sora and I would need to become whole…I knew this and yet, I didn't want it to happen…not until I could settle things once and for all. I needed my 'Somebody' to prove to me that he could handle watching after Fai for me.

I was with him and the Protector over the course of many worlds, and now that I was attached to Sora's heart, I could feel my emotions finally coming through. Sora I think could feel them too. When he would look at Fai...he'd want to pull him into his arms and hold him tight. But, as I watched, I started to wonder if this was the same Faitouru that I'd fallen in love with. Because the one I saw day after day, going about his duties as the Protector was nothing like the boy I cared for.

It hurt me more than I could explain. And Sora seemed to feed off of that.

After the devastation over Faitouru's 'betrayal', I knew that Sora doubted himself and all those around him. It was partly my fault. Seeing the agony in Fai's eyes as Sora's fist collided with the side of his face had been a wake-up call. Something that had seemed so obvious to me was proven to be nothing more than my bitter jealousy over losing the life with the person I loved; that I thought had been real. I had to make this right for them. It was the only way. Because, after all, I _am_ Sora and I still had that chance to be with him in a way.

My opportunity came when they entered the World That Never Was. I could feel the power in me grow exponentially, providing me the ability to pull away from my Other, and settle everything once and for all. Without a moment to lose, I teleported Sora into his own heart to face me. We fought. I taunted him, tried everything I could to weaken him. Would he let his dark side win?

In the end I saw that light of his shining brightly. I could feel it in me, pulling me once again back to join him. Smiling in relief as I felt Sora fading back into the real world I looked at him over my shoulder and muttered, "You make a good Other…"

Of course he wouldn't understand what that meant, but at least it made him think. Still I watched through his eyes as they traveled through the World That Never Was. And still, he was wary of Fai. It was sad to see my Protector being treated like that, but I knew why it was so different and confusing to Sora. Deep in his heart where I lived and became him were feelings that he didn't understand and wouldn't admit to himself.

Sadly, I looked over at our Protector once more. It was still strange to see how different he was than how I remembered him. The person I saw now seemed cold and perpetually distant. There had never been so many walls up when _we'd_ been together. But then again…his mind hadn't been his own. What if he hadn't even cared about me for real? What if Diz had planted those feelings just like everything else in that fake town? Could I…could _Sora_ bear it if he pushed us away?

Would he love us despite everything that had happened? I had to know.

~0~

Looking at Kairi, her features began to change. In a moment I stood watching as the blonde girl Namine, that'd cared enough about my existence (even if I had been a Nobodie) to try and comfort me when all the worlds seemed to be crashing all around me, materialized. I smiled over at her, and suddenly I was pulling away from Sora.

For the first time in a long time, the familiar feeling of not being quite whole as my essence pulled away from my Other's heart washed over me. I'd wanted to do this so badly, just to remember what it was like to be my own person one last time and ironically enough, I didn't like it. It just wasn't right.

When I finished talking with the others, I slowly looked over Sora's shoulder to where Faitouru stood gaping at me. He was…amazing. Even with his face full of shock, I could clearly remember all the moments we'd shared together in Twilight Town, and I could feel Sora's heart react. Please…_please_ remember me, I pleaded inwardly. Confusion flitted across his face for a moment before I smiled and "disappeared".

Fai looked startled when I reappeared before him, clapping his hands over his mouth in order to stifle a small gasp. It made me laugh. Maybe the Fai I knew and the Fai that was standing here now weren't so different after all. The one here seemed so reserved and uptight, but as I leant closer I could see the walls crumbling, letting a bit of _my_ Fai shine out. Deep in his eyes, I could see that pure innocence that was never easily noticed. I loved him for that. It always made me feel like he was the one that needed someone to look after him.

Smiling down I gazed into his amethyst orbs and asked playfully, "Thought I'd leave without saying goodbye, didn't you?"

It seemed like he still wasn't thinking this was happening. Did he even know who I was anymore? My eyes trailed down to his neck for a moment in search of the necklace I'd given him, but could not see the chain.

"R-Roxas…?"

It killed me to hear him say my name like that, with such an unsure tone. But maybe, just maybe, he still hadn't let go of me deep in his heart. Closing my eyes for the briefest moment I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, "Do you remember me?"

"Not everything, but…I…I _feel_ more than that." He whispered, a single tear dropping from the corner of his eye as he lowered his hands. Our eyes never broke from each other as I felt a newly restored hope blossom. I sensed Sora's heart beating uncomfortably behind me. Soon, I'd have to go back.

"I'm never going to see you again…am I?"

'Not like how you remember me', I thought, raising a translucent projection of my hand to 'rest' against his cheek. The faint light shining down on us reflected in the steady tracks of tears coursing down his cheeks, making them look like molten silver. I wanted so badly to hold him in my arms one last time. To finally give him the goodbye he deserved.

Feeling jealousy course through me and subsequently my Other, I answered softly, "I'll be with you every time you're with Sora. He and I are the same. But…just for now, _I _want to do this."

Bending so we were the same height, I leant in so the faint spirit of the kisses we'd shared before could awaken something inside of him. His body trembled.

_I wish there was some other way we could be together._

Leaning away, I passed my fingers over his eyelids, telling him that it would be better if he kept them closed for when I faded back into Sora. Thankfully he understood. While I began going back into my Other Self, I tried memorizing this moment exactly; the way he stood unconsciously clutching at the spot above his chest where his heart was, and the regretful tears still running down his freckled face.

"…love you…" I called faintly, feeling myself get pulled back to Sora. I was relieved when I heard him reply without hesitation, "…love you too…"

The feeling of Sora's heart behind me caught my attention, making me turn. He stood there, watching the both of us with an expression of surprise on his face that I assumed matched my own. For a moment I was completely taken aback by the emotions making his heart flutter, and then it dawned on me what exactly it was that he was looking at, and realizing in his heart. A smile turned up the corners of my mouth as I faded back into him. I could be at peace in his heart knowing that he in fact loved my special person just as much as I did, and was becoming aware of that fact.

_I'm so glad I got to see you one last time…my Faitouru_.

~o~

It went by in such a short period of time, I wasn't sure it even happened. First I watched my Nobodie Roxas fade back into my body. Then I stood talking with Riku and Kairi about what just happened, feeling strange emotions that had nothing to do with them or the situation we were in. And then I had the overwhelming urge to turn and look around. That's when I saw them.

My Nobodie was _kissing_ my Protector. In my head I had gone completely numb. In my heart, I was irrationally happy, and I knew then that that was what Roxas was feeling. Unable to look away, I watched as his apparition began to fade away for the last time. Faitouru didn't open his eyes, but tears still coursed down his cheeks. And then I watched as his lips parted, allowing him to mumble a short phrase to the Nobodie. He was too far away for me to know what he'd said.

And then Roxas' transparent form turned catching sight of me in his last moments. For a split second, his eyes grew wide with surprise, but then they quickly melted into that of a knowing smile. I looked away, blushing intensely, before Faitouru could notice that I'd seen.

My mind was still dwelling on what I'd just witnessed when Kairi started to walk into the Dark Corridor. I heard the alarm in her voice and immediately looked up to see the portal closing swiftly after her. We all raced forward, but we were too late. We were trapped on this dying world with no way out.

Glancing around at Fai, I saw that his deep violet eyes were still swimming with sadness that I don't think he was even aware of himself. My chest tightened at the sight. As strange as it sounded…I wanted at that moment, to be my Nobodie and not myself. I wanted to be the one to pull my friend close and chase the tears away. For a single moment…I wanted to be the one to–. And then reality struck. I shook my head, telling myself fervently that he was my friend and just that; nothing else.

Kairi was waiting for me again after all...


	34. Part Five:OutofDarkness, Something Found

_It will determine who I become. _

_My destiny…_

_Do I run away from, or towards it?_

_I have to choose._

_What is most important?_

~O~

Everything was so dark. Where am I? Floating unknown in the darkness, no…I have a body. I can feel the world pressing in all around me. Wincing, I began to slowly look out, and was met by a stream of light piercing through the shadow to the very beginning of me; warming me, making me solid. That was the source of my life. But who am I? What am I? How am I even here? Keeping my gaze trained on the light, I watched as it slowly dimmed, leaving me feeling emptier than before.

One heart, that's what it was; far off in the inky blackness, connected to mine. I had been born from it into this shadow. So…what would I be if I looked away? Fear poured into my soul, making me tremble as I realized that I wasn't really whole. And if that link died away…I would too.

"I don't want to disappear…" I whispered. I sound so small.

_You don't have to._

That bodiless voice came out of the Darkness. Still unable to look away from the source of power keeping me tethered to this existence, I asked tentatively, "Who are you…?"

_A balance of power._

"What do you want from me?"

_Not to keep him waiting when the time comes._

And I wanted to keep waiting. I wanted to hold onto my life as long as I could, because I could sense that my time was short.

_Neither of you are whole…your heart grows weak just as his does._

My eyes widened as the entity continued, suddenly making itself known to me. A bright undulating mass of light came into focus, just transparent enough for me to see through it. With it, a wave of stabbing cold hunger passed over me. For a moment, I was more afraid of my want and of this being than I was of my impending doom. But then, the longer I studied it, the more a sense of pity came over me and the fear drifted away, chasing the hunger with it. Far under its outer shell, I could sense something that seemed…ancient and alone in this vast Darkness.

_You don't have to be afraid._

"But," I started, still keeping my eye on the constant light. "I don't even know who you are…"

_I am the Heart of all Worlds._

I didn't have time to think this through. My eyes were growing heavier as time passed.

_Now, open your heart to the Light..._

With as much will as I could muster, I did what the essence wanted, and opened myself to it. With a rush of stinging cold, my body was filled with a new source of life. A searing pain shot through me, causing me to stagger. Struggling to remain standing, I watched as the far off light soared across the emptiness, through the being, and slammed into my chest. My eyes clamped shut, as I was propelled off my feet, but – amazingly enough – I didn't fade away.

The world of Darkness around me was filled with a blinding sense of power – tethering me to it – and then all at once, I was floating again. Keeping my eyes shut, I let it carry me away, until all I could feel and hear…was the loud thumping of my heart in my chest and the rush of wind as it passed by.

~O~

Being here on this Island, I felt strange. It was almost like being trapped. And the longer I stayed, the more I felt it burning in me. As I glanced over at the raft Riku, Sora, and Kairi had worked on building together so long ago, I thought it was sad that bits of its wood had broken off to become half buried in the white sand. If only it still worked. Maybe I could have taken it out onto the water and finally given it its maiden voyage.

Jeez…what was I thinking? Did I really think I could just up and take a raft off into the sea and what, leave Sora and the others behind? Get a grip on yourself; I chastised, letting my head fall back onto the sand. You know what the King said. As my eyes closed, I concentrated on the light wind blowing in the cool sea air, and the sound of the waves lapping at my ankles. For a brief moment before sleep finally claimed me, I was totally calm.

_Can you feel the pain?_

_Return to the Doors._

_Please…save them._

My eyes snapped open as I gasped. All I could feel was the beating of my own heart against my chest, and then it registered that someone's hands were trying to bat away my own wildly pushing ones. Instantly, I let my limbs grow slack as Riku's voice muttered apologetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that you looked like you were having a bad dream…"

Trying to collect my mind back from the scattered jumble that it was, I recalled the events of the evening. We'd said goodbye to Donald, Goofy, and the King. Then after a while, Kairi found a letter from the King telling us that Sora and Riku were being summoned to take part in a 'Mark of Mastery Exam', whatever that was. After reading that, Sora and Kairi went back to the mainland to get supplies and say 'hi' to Sora's Mom, leaving Riku and me here. This was the first time that Riku and I had the opportunity to talk with one another. I wasn't quite sure what to say.

Every experience I'd had with him up until a short while ago had been awful. He'd hated me, and I didn't trust him in the least bit. But when we'd found him again back in The World That Never Was, he had seemed different. He'd grown in a way; become more humble. Glancing furtively over at him as I cleared my throat I decided to break the ice to get it over with and asked gruffly, "Are…are you feeling better?"

His eyes, a sort of blue-green, shone brightly in the moonlight as he smiled slightly and answered, "Yeah…what about you?"

"It's not a big deal," I answered more to myself than him. My thoughts instantly turned towards my substantial lack of energy from spending that unknown amount of time in the Realm of Darkness after defeating Xemnas for what seemed like the hundredth time and the strange feelings that'd been going on ever since arriving here.

Looking out over the water, I could make out the faint lights from the main island where Sora and Kairi had gone. Furrowing my brows I asked without thinking, "Why didn't you go with them?"

As soon as it passed my lips I realized how rude that was. What business was it of mine why he didn't go visit his home and parents with his friends? If I were him, I wouldn't answer my question. I tried muttering an apology, but stopped as he answered, "To tell you the truth, I guess I just couldn't face seeing everyone…not yet anyway."

A slight blush of embarrassment tinted my cheeks as I glowered at the sand and we lapsed into silence. I knew that if Sora were here he would tell him something that would brilliantly reassure him that he was and always has been a good person, but I couldn't think of anything. I actually understood how he felt, not that that made my blunder any better. Taking a deep breath, I gazed up at the moon hovering above the water, casting its silver rays down onto the black waves, making it shimmer.

Hoping I wasn't going to sound nosy I muttered, "If I've learned anything from that spike-headed-idiot, it's that everyone has some Darkness in them, but the true show of their hearts is whether or not they can still make the right choices. And I think everyone can…even you."

"I see…" Riku murmured, also looking out at the water. "And Sora _really_ said something like _that_?"

"More or less," I answered, laughing slightly.

Silence filled the air between us now, but not in an uncomfortable way. On nights like these, wounds were meant to be healed and past grievances forgiven.

"This may sound strange," Riku started thoughtfully. "But it feels like we've been here before…sitting like this."

Saying something like that really shocked me. The whole time we'd been here, I'd had the nagging question of whether or not I'd been here before. All those dreams about being with Roxas and the Organization had turned out to be real memories. Did that mean that the ones about playing on this island with Sora and Riku as kids could be true too? I was definitely not expecting to hear Riku very nearly confirm they had been. This changed everything.

"Fai…?" Riku asked worriedly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Should I tell him? I hadn't even told Sora. Perhaps I didn't want Sora to know, because then I'd have to explain all about Roxas and…all that had happened in Twilight Town. I couldn't lie to him about that. He'd find out, and then hate me.

Looking up, my eyes locked directly onto Riku's and I suddenly felt a burst of electricity run all throughout my body. It was almost like what happened when Sora looked at me sometimes. Crap…I don't know how many more mysteries I could take. Putting my head in my hands, I tried to massage away the headache that wished to become known.

"Tell me what's wrong."

As soon as Riku said that, it was like the floodgates opened. Throwing away all thoughts of doubt, I explained all about the 'dreams' I'd been having, and how I was certain that they were all memories, leaving out the parts about Roxas in Twilight Town of course. He nodded, gazing vacantly at the horizon before muttering, "We have to figure out who took you away then, and what they're after."

I thought hard, past all the shock, past all the confusion, and disbelief, all the way to the places I didn't even know existed. The sound of the waves brushing against the sand seemed to help jog something, but I still couldn't see who it was leading me resolutely along the beach. I could vaguely recall feeling scared about leaving, but…there were too many blanks. Shaking my head, I muttered, "I just can't see why they'd want to separate me from you guys."

Looking once more up into his eyes, I let myself feel vulnerable. For the first time in a long time, I was scared. All of the unknowns were adding up, creating a crevice that I had to stand on the edge of. If I leant too far forward, I might fall, but if I leant too far back, I'd be getting nowhere.

Putting an arm awkwardly around my shoulder Riku offered, "I'm sure the King will have something to tell us. He always does."

I wanted to believe him, but a part of me wondered if maybe this time, the King wouldn't have the answers. The fear was just starting to twist my stomach into something unpleasant when Riku suddenly released me and started digging in his pocket.

"You know, I never really apologized to you," he muttered, still searching the contents of his pants for whatever it was that was eluding him.

I started, "You don't have to– "

"Yeah, I do. I was a jerk." He interrupted, his brows creasing as the item still managed to stay hidden. "I almost killed you and Sora a couple of different times. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me, so…I'm sorry."

As his apology left his lips, he stared straight into my eyes so I could see his sincerity. Unable to think of anything to say, I merely sat there, tight-lipped and embarrassed. Finally, he retracted his hand triumphantly, and held it out. Cupping my hands beneath his, he said, "And here's something I should've given you a while ago."

He opened his fingers, and a small cascade of silver caught the moonlight as it fell into my waiting hands. Instantly I felt a shiver run up my spine at its touch. My hands shook slightly as I gazed down at a necklace, one that looked exactly like Sora's, but…

All at once memories came flooding back. It was my birthday; Roxas gave this to me as a present because he saw a boy – Sora – wearing it in a dream. Next, he was asking if I'd ever forget him, I said I never would as long as I had this to remind me of him. And lastly, running from Dusks through the streets of Twilight Town as the last of the false reality Diz (the real Ansem the Wise) planted was removed. Those creatures had attacked, slashing at my chest. They must've caught the chain and broken it. Feeling for it in the old mansion as my mind slowly forgot him, I realized the necklace was gone…that Roxas was gone.

Tears were pouring down my face onto the palms of my hands as I came back to the present. Voice trembling, I asked lowly, "Where did you get this…?"

Quietly, as if he were waiting for me to go berserk and start hitting him; he explained that when he'd been working for Diz and pulled me from the false reality in time to get away from Demyx, he'd found it. It had fallen off sometime between retrieving me and Roxas and placing me in a suspended sleep state. When he was patrolling the streets where he'd saved us, he'd found it and picked it up and realized who it belonged to.

Keeping his eyes fixed on the sand between us he muttered, "I'm sorry it took me so long to get it back to you…"

I didn't say anything. Merely continued looking down at my forgotten treasure as the night continued to pass us by. Finally, when I felt I couldn't stand sitting next to him anymore, I stood and told him that I was going to go get some sleep. In a daze, I wound my way back across the island to the small shack, and shut myself in. I hoped Riku would understand that I didn't want to be around him right now.

With trembling fingers, I unclasped the hooks and quickly fastened it around my neck, and pulled out the now tattered picture of Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Roxas. Gazing down at the small crown and the boy I'd been in love with, I smiled sadly and tucked the pendant safely under my shirt. These were the only things that tied me to that secret summer and to the love I would never be able to feel again.

I wouldn't let myself.


	35. Mark of Mastery, Taken

~O~

Thankfully no nightmares plagued me in the night, but at the same time, it was like I didn't get any sleep at all. I woke up with my back sore from having to sleep on the ground, and extremely tired still. I tried forcing myself back to sleep; knowing I needed it, but with a groan realized that there was no way that was happening. My eyes as I opened them, focused on the soft stream of pale light drifting in through the cracks in the walls of the shack. I sat up, stretching as I went, and stifled a hefty yawn.

The sound of my cracking joints accompanied me as I stood and made my way outside. The sun had just started rising into the sky, at the perfect height to blind me. Muttering grumpily to myself, I clumsily made my way up the path in the direction of the natural spring of water, intending to dunk my head in to give myself a bit of a shock to wake up. Instead, when I crested the small hill, I felt a sudden rush of cool air brush across my skin. Shivering, I looked around for the source, and noticed a small cluster of bushes to the left of the waterfall.

Carefully, I made my way towards it and soon discovered that the branches extended over the entrance to a small cave; the source of the cold air. Brushing these aside, I peered into the inky blackness. As an answer, a strong gust of wind blew past as if to say 'Don't come in'.

Ignoring all the obvious warnings, I stepped inside. It felt too wrong for me not to check it out and make sure that the island was safe. The painful cold feeling was making itself more and more apparent the further I delved into the secret cavern. And as I emerged into a small open area, I was rewarded with the sensation that the dark feeling was being kept at bay, leaving me free to investigate.

Only mildly discomforted now, I looked around at the white drawings all along the cave walls curiously. And then my eyes rested on the back wall. What remained of a wooden door lay broken. It was strange though. Why was there a door here in the first place? Where could it go? All I could see through the splinters was more rock. But as I attempted looking away, I suddenly found myself frozen in place. Oh no. It was that unknown hooded figure again…and I was all alone.

Desperately I tried moving, but with no luck. If they were here to take me away, or finish me off, then why didn't they just get it over with? I wanted to ask what they wanted, but my mouth wouldn't open. And then, my motor skills were slammed back into my body as a familiar voice said from behind, "That must've happened when we sealed the Door to Kingdom Hearts."

Whirling around turned out to be a big mistake, spots flashed before my eyes, and I collapsed to the dirt. Sora rushed to my side asking, "Are you okay?"

Brushing him away, I answered irritably, "Fine…just lost my balance."

It didn't look like he believed me, but thankfully didn't comment any further. Instead, he sat back and waited while I tried getting my head to stop spinning. Still a little weak, I asked, motioning to the broken door, "So it wasn't like this before?"

"Nope," he answered, poking at a piece with his toe.

It was weird – looking at the broken door I mean. I couldn't tell exactly what was making me get, for lack of a better term, the 'heebie-jeebies', but I definitely wanted to get away from it as soon as I could. Sora was still watching me (annoyingly), so I cast around in my mind for something to say and got, "How's your Mom…?"

At the mention of his Mom, Sora's face suddenly split into the happiest of his stupid grins I'd ever seen. Unconsciously, I found myself reciprocating it. Still smiling he said, "She was really happy to see me. I think she understands that I'm doing something important."

Feeling like I could get my feet under me without toppling over again, I stood and helped him to his feet as he added, "She did whack me pretty good upside the head for leaving without saying goodbye though…!"

Leading the way out of the cave, we shared a laugh and soon found ourselves breathing in the fresh warm air. The feeling of that door being left behind caused the weight to lift from my chest. Sora emerging in front of me into the sunlight breathed contently, "Isn't it great here?"

It was. It was beautiful, relaxing, and _missing_ something. Why couldn't I figure it out? Giving him a small smile and a nod, I watched as he bounded off towards the beach where I saw Kairi setting something up on the sand. Trying not to acknowledge the jealousy that cropped up, I strode to the waterfall and stuck my head of strawberry curls under the blast of frigid water. Alright…now I was ready to face the day one grimace at a time.

Turned out they'd brought breakfast. Kairi had spotted me going into the cave as she and Sora were paddling in, so she stayed out to set it up for us. As I neared I looked in the direction they were waving and saw Riku emerging from a hollowed out area in a massive tree trunk. When he came down and sat next to me, our eyes met. I gave him the slightest of nods, trying to tell him that I was okay with what happened last night. His eyes sparkled with subdued happiness and relief. I think he knew that this was something I wanted to keep quiet, and thankfully didn't bring it up.

We ate, and Sora related his visiting of the main island with Riku. And later, as we all walked down the white beach towards the other side of the island Kairi asked thoughtfully, "When do you think the King will come to get us?"

"Uh, I think it's only Sora and me taking the exam, I don't– " Riku started.

Guess he didn't understand the point of having a Protector around. Muscling my face into one that was unaffected by what he just said, I cut in dryly, "There's no way you're going there without me."

"Exactly," Kairi added decisively, catching my gaze. "We're in this together, now!"

Once again, I got the sudden shock of electricity running from the beginning to the end of me. What the heck keeps happening? Still trying to remain calm, I gave her a polite smile and turned back to Sora who stood gaping at us like a fish out of water. Riku merely shrugged, pat his shoulder, and said, "Looks like they've made up their minds."

~o~

Later that afternoon, the King arrived to take us to Master Yen Sid's Mysterious Tower. When Kairi and I both stubbornly insisted that we join them, he looked like he was going to argue, then shook his head, deciding he didn't have time, and motioned us aboard his Gummi Ship. It was cramped, way more so than even the first Gummi we had a little over three years ago. But I guess this had been meant for Riku, Sora, and I, not an extra tag-along.

I was glad to emerge a couple hours later. After stretching for a bit, the King motioned for us to follow him. Just as Kairi reached his side though, he held out one of his hands, stopping her abruptly and making me crash into her. The King shook his head as he explained, "Sorry, you'll have to wait out here."

Hanging her head sadly, she looked up at Riku and Sora standing at the top of the steps and called, "Be careful alright?"

Striding quickly back down the steps, Sora gathered her up into a strong embrace and muttered, "We will…"

Releasing her, he stepped down to my level and grinned throwing an arm chummily over my shoulder, "Besides, we've got Fai to watch our backs!"

On the inside I was grinning from ear to ear. That is, until the King cleared his throat and said, "I'm sorry to tell ya this, but Faitouru can't come either…"

I couldn't have been more shocked than I was right then. Trying to keep my voice calm I asked a little unsteadily, "I don't understand Your Majesty, why can't I go?"

Next to me, Sora had grown as rigid as a statue, and the iron grip he had on my shoulder was starting to hurt. We all gazed down at the King, waiting for his explanation. After a moment, he started, "Gosh, it's not up to me. Those are the rules for the Mark of Mastery Exam. Only the Keyblade wielders worthy of the test can go. This is their test. They're not allowed any outside help – _especially_ not a Protector."

"B-but what am I supposed to do?!" I blurted angrily, my composure finally cracking. My stomach was making knots at the thought of not being there to watch Sora's back.

"I'm sorry," Mickey said, actually sounding like he meant it. "But you'll just have to wait here."

Slowly, Sora's arm fell away to be replaced by the cool night breeze, and as he looked at me, I could see the sadness in his eyes. Again, I had the feeling of being jolted by electricity, but I barely paid any attention to it. We'd been together for so long. What was I going to do without him around? Who was I going to turn into without him to make light of every situation? I was scared. I was getting the feeling that being separated from him was going to be a huge mistake.

But what could I do? In a small voice I warned halfheartedly, "Don't do anything stupid…"

His eyes were wide as he nodded, unable to say anything. This was going to be hard for both of us. But I knew I was the one that was going to have to pull away. Regretting every movement, I whispered a quick goodbye, turned, and strode towards a group of trees.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to pummel something into the dust. But all I did was stand there, looking out at the strange yellow clouds that this place seemed to float on. After what felt like years, I heard light footfall behind me. Turning mechanically to face Kairi, I watched as the small bit of happiness she was holding onto fell from her face. Her head tilted slightly as she studied me, which made me mad, but I didn't know what to do.

So I ignored her. I stepped onto the Gummi Ship and sat down, waiting silently for the King to come out and take us back to the Islands. The whole ride back was silent. The King seemed to not know what to say, so he focused on his steering. Kairi was clearly upset that I was acting like this. But I couldn't help it. When we landed, I watched solemnly as the King took off once again, leaving me alone with her. I tried making an escape to some secluded spot on the island, but she wouldn't have it. Finally, after following me around, I gave up on being in solitude, and spun on her.

Giving me that same look that she'd given me back at Master Yen Sid's she said sadly, "Now that Sora's not here…it's like you're a totally different person."

Inwardly, I felt my heart give a loud thump. She was right. I was a different person. This was exactly what I'd been afraid of. Without Sora I was the 'old me' – the 'me' with the heart full of hate and Darkness – the one that didn't care. How did this happen?

To my surprise, I felt tears welling up, but all they did was sting as I held them back. With a small smile, she reached out and mumbled, "It's alright. You don't have to say anything. I just thought you should know that even though he isn't here…I am."

Her smile was kind, and with that, I could feel the soft glow of something still good inside me, pulling me back to myself. Blushing ashamedly, I was just getting ready to tell her that I was sorry, when I felt the familiar stab of ice cold suffocating me. I choked, staggering around wildly, trying to catch sight of the unknown hooded figure while Kairi cried out, "What's wrong?!"

She steadied me just as I spotted the Dark Corridor emerging from a spot a little ways away by the shack. Wincing, I called out my Keyblade and pushed Kairi behind me, telling her to be ready for whatever was coming out of there. I saw the flash of bright light from behind me as she called out the Keyblade Riku had given her, just as the unknown figure that had been plaguing me for months stepped out from the swirling Darkness.

"Who are you?" I asked, still trying to hold myself up as another wave of that cold energy sapped my strength. "What do you want from me?!"

The person merely stood in front of the portal, watching us blankly. Then I followed the motion with my eyes as they held their hand out as if to say, 'come with me'. Did they really expect me to just waltz into a Dark Corridor like that? I don't think so. Clearly the only way I was going to get through to this creep was by force. In a flash, I had dashed forward, Keyblade swinging through the air cleanly. I prided myself on speed that even Leon had always been slightly impressed with, but without my even realizing what had happened, the person was gone.

My eyes darted from shadow to shadow trying to get a lock on my target, but without warning, an arm wrapped tightly around my throat cutting off my supply of oxygen. Struggling wildly, I clawed at their arm for a moment before I heard Kairi cry out from behind. I was on the ground coughing and gasping for air as I was released unceremoniously. The sound of her Keyblade rushing over my head was only punctuated by the sound of her grunting in pain as she was thrown off her feet by an intense blow to the chest.

Now furious, I struggled up and cried, "Tell me what you want!"

What happened next made me feel like I was falling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland again. Taking only a second's hesitation, the person reached up and pushed back their hood to reveal themselves. My eyes widened in shock as I stood rooted to the spot. Dropping my Keyblade, I asked completely dumbstruck, "But, how did you–"

The last of my sentence died as all the breath in my lungs expelled in one great gust. Azure eyes bore into my own from mere inches away, sending that all too familiar bolt of electricity through me once again. The butt of the Keyblade in my gut retracted as my vision slowly started blacking out. The last thing I heard before I fell into unconsciousness was Kairi screaming my name from where she lay.


	36. Finding Fai, The Axiom

a/n: So, as a warning, this next bit has some spoilers for Dream Drop Distance in it. Skip down a ways if you don't wanna know lol. And a huge shout out to HopeReincarnated! Thanks for my beautiful fanart! It looks great as the new story cover! XD

* * *

><p>~O~<p>

_Darkness becomes Light,_

_Light falls into Darkness._

The Mark of Mastery Exam was over. Both Riku and I had accomplished an amazing journey through the sleeping worlds in our dreams, but ultimately I let the Darkness lead me away from the path of Light into a trap. Xehanort infested my heart with his twisted lies, and I had to be saved by my best friend with great risk to his own life. Master Yen Sid awarded Riku the title of Keyblade Master after he fearlessly dove into my dreams.

Looking out the window of the Mysterious Tower to the large golden clouds drifting outside, I thought back to when we'd first arrived in Yen Sid's study just a few days before. I'd been so nervous about leaving Kairi and Faitouru behind on the Islands, but at the same time, I knew that Riku and I were about to do something to help the worlds. I guess now I'd need to train a little harder. I'd have to catch up with Riku after all!

As we stood at attention before Yen Sid – with the King, Donald, and Goofy to his right – he explained that our task was to awaken the "Sleeping Worlds", worlds that were never brought back completely from the Darkness. In this particular state, not even the Heartless could reach them. Instead they were infested by their own form of Darkness called "Dream Eaters". Not only that, but these seven worlds were connected to the "Seven Pure Lights". These Lights were protectors of Kingdom Hearts. And their counterparts, the warriors of Darkness – of which there were thirteen – would rise to clash in an epic battle for the fate of all the worlds.

Yen Sid says that in a time far before our own, Kingdom Hearts had existed on its own and was protected by the "_X_-blade". However, others that wielded Keyblades began to fight over the power that Kingdom Hearts possessed, destroying the _X_-blade and casting Kingdom Hearts into the furthest reaches of Darkness in the Process. This ultimate Keyblade, I would learn, was Xehanort's goal. He wished to possess the power over Kingdom Hearts and ultimately all the worlds.

We were both sent into the dream, becoming separated...sort of. Our dream selves were sent to the same places, but we inhabited our own separate versions. Honestly it was all more than a little confusing, and only got worse from there. Turned out that Xehanort had created Organization XIII in order to sort of possess each of them, so if/when they were defeated, he could be reborn from them. Not only that, but his past self time traveled and was able to appear in our dreams because it was all supposed to happen (what?!). His reincarnations kept appearing to me throughout the worlds luring me into the trap. And I went in like a blind fool and learned that Xehanort planned on using me as his last vessel since he couldn't have the Nobodie version of me.

Darkness overwhelmed me and I was lost. But then I could hear Riku's voice. When I woke up, I knew that he'd saved me. But he was still dreaming. We waited until he finally opened his eyes and looked up at me. I was so happy and relieved, that I pushed Donald and Goofy aside and threw myself on top of him. Shortly after that, Yen Sid told us how proud he was of our extraordinary efforts. However, only one of us dove back in to save a friend and would become a Keyblade Master, which was Riku! He was so shocked he couldn't speak for a minute. I actually think he thought I was going to be mad at him. But when he saw my genuine happiness, his body relaxed and he smiled. I always knew he'd do well. He was Riku after all. It made me happy to see that my best friend had finally started believing in himself.

We're both standing outside now, looking out at the clouds – golden wisps that made this place seem like time never moved. He turned to me and said, "You don't have to go…"

"My heart is still weak," I said with a smile. "And if we're supposed to be fighting against thirteen of Xehanort, then I need to train."

His eyes lowered, but after a solemn pause, he nodded in understanding, offering me one of his own smiles. Patting him on the shoulder I looked back out over the never-ending expanse of clouds and thought of Kairi and Fai waiting for us back on the Islands. My shoulders tensed slightly at the thought of not seeing either of them, or letting Fai come with me to train. I just felt like I needed to do this on my own.

With a vision of both of them in my mind I asked Riku quietly, "Would you tell the others I'm sorry for not going back just yet?"

"Sure," he said, reciprocating the affectionate gesture from before. "But you know Faitouru's gonna be pissed, right?"

I winked at him over my shoulder before turning and using my Keyblade to unlock a pathway through the worlds. I didn't know where it was going to take me, but I was alright with that. Sooner or later I'd find my way back to everyone, stronger and more prepared for what we were going to face.

~o~

When I came to, I groaned and rubbed the back of my throbbing head. Sitting up I realized that I was lying on the dark cobblestone streets of Travers Town. I went through the familiar alleys, fighting off Heartless as they appeared. It was strange not having anyone there alongside me, but I got used to it.

It was fun revisiting all of the places that I hadn't seen in real life for over three years. My mind traveled fondly to Faitouru, Donald, and Goofy as I would recognize something that brought up a memory of them. This place was important. All of my adventures started after coming here and finding those three. Exhausted, I made my way to the 2nd District and up to the top of the bell tower overlooking the courtyard below. Expelling a great gust of air, I pulled a sea salt ice cream out and sat contently swinging my legs over the edge of the roof.

I almost didn't hear the person come up behind me over the sound of the wind, but twisting around, I caught sight of a familiar head of silver hair. Grinning from ear to ear I asked, "How did you know I'd be here?"

Standing up quickly, I brushed myself off as Riku answered in a voice that sent chills of dread running down my spine, "It's like what Joshua said, 'this place is for people without anywhere else to go'."

I stopped short, my breath catching in my throat as my heart thudded uncomfortably against my ribs. Fear laced my words as I finally looked over at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Head bowed so his eyes couldn't meet mine he replied softly, "Something happened…on the Islands."

My hands were clenched so tightly, my dull nails dug painfully into the palm of my hand. I waited for him to continue, all possible scenarios running through my mind.

"Master Yen Sid sent me to go bring Kairi to him so she could be trained to use her Keyblade," he began, still not looking at me. "When I got there she told me that Faitouru was…"

All of my body felt like it'd been doused with a bucket of ice water. Fai? Was he okay? I would never forgive myself if he wasn't.

"…taken." He finished. "I'm sorry, Sora."

"Wh-what do you mean _taken_?" I finally managed to ask incredulously after a moment of gaping at him.

Softening his eyes as he placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder he said, "I think you should hear it from Kairi."

The ride in the Gummi ship back to the Mysterious Tower was torture. It didn't seem real. I kept trying to ask for more details, but was met with a silent shaking of his head as a response. How could Fai have been taken? He was so tough! Nothing was making any sense. All I could do was sit in the seat next to Riku and stare at my clenched hands.

When I burst into Yen Sid's office, I saw that the King and Kairi were already there waiting for us. Kairi looked horrible. I ran to her and put my arms around her trembling shoulders as she sobbed, "I'm so sorry Sora I…I couldn't stop her!"

"Its okay, what happened?" I asked gently, ignoring my twisting stomach, and trying not to upset her any more.

Nodding, she took a deep breath and began slowly, "We'd just gotten to the beach. We were talking and then a woman came out of a Dark Corridor. Something made him too weak to fight her off..."

Large tears coursed down her porcelain cheeks as she took another shaky breath and continued, "She was too strong!"

Keeping calm at that moment, was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do. In no way did I blame Kairi. She fought hard; no…I blamed myself for not being there. It was almost like – whoever this woman was – she knew when we'd be gone. She'd waited in the shadows until Fai was vulnerable and then pounced, probably using the powers of Darkness to weaken him. My eyes traveled to the King standing solemnly next to Yen Sid just a few feet away and asked, "What do you think she wants with him?"

The King shifted uncomfortably on his feet as he answered, "Gosh Sora, we're not sure."

"…but, you gotta know who she works with! Maybe Xehanort is trying to –" I began but was cut off by Yen Sid saying, "She is not associated with that man as far as we know. She is someone we are well acquainted with based on the description Kairi has given us."

I waited impatiently while everyone exchanged glances in the room. Finally, Mickey came closer and explained, "You know her too, Sora. She's an old friend of mine. Her name is…Aqua."

"_What_?!"

It felt like the room was spinning. Aqua?! But she was the Keyblade Wielder Mickey had told us all about, a _Master_ even, and…on _our_ side! A good guy! Why would she kidnap Faitouru?

"Perhaps she wishes to use his abilities as the Protector to her advantage, or perhaps it is a different matter entirely. We are as in the dark as you, my boy." Yen Sid said. "What we _can_ do, is search for the answer."

Setting my jaw tightly, I nodded. He was right, I just needed to go out there and find out what was going on, and get my best friend back. Standing, I bowed low to both Yen Sid and the King and said determinedly, "Leave it to me!"

"And me," Riku said, coming up next to me and also bowing.

"Riku…?"

"Don't worry; we'll get him back...together." he answered, smiling.

~o~

We left after a rushed whirlwind of gathering supplies. I  
>didn't even give Kairi a second glance. Just as we strode out to the waiting Gummi ship she pulled me aside. Smiling up at me, our eyes met, and I felt my heart skip a beat. She had grown beautiful in the time that had passed being separated. Her long flowing maroon hair fluttered in the light breeze as golden waves of light from the clouds bounced off like copper rain.<p>

"I know I should be sad – I won't get to see you again for a while – but…I know you'll bring Faitouru back safely." She said confidently, standing on her toes as she guided my cheek down to her waiting lips. "And I'll work really hard to make up for letting him get taken away."

The spot she kissed tingled with prickling warmth, but my stomach would not stop clenching uncomfortably. As we drew apart, I could tell she expected me to say something, but I couldn't bring myself to speak. Blushing horribly and avoiding her eyes, I did the only thing I could muster up and squeezed her hand quickly in my own. Then I turned and hurried back over to a waiting Riku.

For some reason saying goodbye didn't seem as important as it should have been.

The King told us that we should make our way to Radiant Garden to check up on the gang there and see if they had any information. I was now sitting in the cramped room in the rear of the ship, gazing unseeingly at the floor, thinking about what had just happened. One of my best friends had been taken by a woman we thought was allied with us, right out from under my nose. And I was acting really strangely around the girl I'd been in love with since I first saw her as a kid. Why was this happening?

"Sora…?"

Starting, I rubbed at my stinging eyes and answered thickly, "Y-yeah?"

I knew that he could tell I'd been crying, but I really didn't want to talk about it. I still didn't understand what exactly my feelings were trying to tell me. And just like he knew what I was thinking he sat down on the bed next to me and mumbled, "You know it wasn't your fault, right?"

My mind raced in circles about when I'd last seen Faitouru. Something had been wrong when we'd gotten to the Islands. He'd seemed distant, and restless. I should've been able to see that this would happen. I _could_ have stopped it.

Riku's hand on my forearm brought me back to reality as he said, "She'd been waiting for us to leave him alone. If she hadn't taken him then, she would have some other time. It's not your fault."

Wiping at my eyes again, I chuckled and replied, "You know, you really make a great Keyblade Master…thanks."

Smiling at each other, I really did feel better. I was about to say something about being excited to see the gang in Radiant Garden, when we suddenly heard a great crash as something rammed into the side of the ship. It was small enough that we didn't deviate from our course, but almost as soon as we heard the crash, we heard something scuttling across the top of the ship towards the hatch.

"What the –?" Riku started, all the sensors going off at once.

Both of us heard the door opening. Instantly we were on our feet and sprinting into the main cabin. As we skidded to a stop, I looked around for any sign of enemies, but was surprised to see none whatsoever.

"There's no – " Riku started, but cut himself off with a cry of surprise as a small little yellow box came flying at him out of nowhere. As the little box made contact it started making a huge amount of noise. For a fearsome second I thought the thing was trying to eat him, but then I realized it was just scared. Laughing my head off I stepped up beside Riku, who was still waving his arms at the creature, and plucked the yellow box from his head.

"Well, hi there little guy," I said grinning wildly as I realized that there were arms, legs, and eyes on the box. This thing was a robot! Trembling in my hands, it looked at me utterly terrified, then back at Riku (who had calmed down by now), and retracted.

"Oh no, wait, wait, wait, wait! We don't want to hurt you!" I cried out, looking for some sort of button that would make it come back. "My name's Sora, and that's Riku over there! We aren't going to hurt you! We want to be friends!"

At the sound of friends, one of its large sideways egg shaped eyes poked back out. Its black lenses blinked up at me for a moment before it asked unsurely, "FrieeeeendZzzz…?"

Smiling once again, I nodded eagerly. Another blink and the robot extended all its parts back out and made a sort of whirring noise then said, "WaaAaall-Eeee!"

"Huh?" I asked, wrinkling my nose in confusion.

"I think that's his name," Riku pointed out, still rubbing at the side of his head.

Beaming, I repeated back, "Wall-E!"

Another series of beeps and he bellowed happily up at us in turn, "SooorAhhh! RrrrIIkuuu!"

I wanted to ask it more questions, maybe try to figure out where it was from when suddenly our systems were hacked by a distress signal. The man that came on the screen was large, wearing a captain's suit, and clearly looked frightened. Bumping against the camera a few times he finally shrieked, "Mayday, mayday! The Axiom is under attack by the steering system! If anyone can hear me, please _help us_!"

And then the screen cut to static. Without warning the little robot still clutched in my hands started whirring and beeping like crazy. He kept saying over and over again, "eeeeEEEVaaaa! eeeeEEEVaaaa! eeeeEEEVaaaa! eeeeEEEVaaaa!"

"Are you trying to say that you're from that ship?" I asked. He made a dinging sound which I took as meaning yes. Glancing over at Riku, he nodded and triangulated the location of the ship using the distress signal. I guess Radiant Garden would have to wait for now.

Within minutes we'd found our way to the ship. Pulling up alongside what looked like a door the three of us jumped over to the ledge outside and quickly let ourselves in. I had to hold my hand up to shield my eyes from the intensity of the lights installed in the ceiling above the long hallway until they'd adjusted. Wall-E rolled forward tentatively, small noises escaping as he glanced from left to right. Suddenly, one of the capsules along the walls opened with a loud hiss. The little yellow robot quickly scurried back to where Riku and I stood and hid behind our legs.

But what came rolling out wasn't what I'd been expecting. A small robot, nearly half the size of our new friend stopped, took one look at us, and angrily began cleaning the track of dirt and other things from the floor behind us. Trying to apologize proved useless. The robot merely ignored us and tried scrubbing at my shoes, nearly making me fall over. Finally deciding to escape from the little menace, Riku scooped up Wall-E and ran for the doors that lead further into the ship.

Once out into the next corridor, we discovered that we were in the innermost section of the ship somewhere near the engines. Steam billowed from giant machines, filling the hold with a muggy atmosphere. Tugging uncomfortably at my shirt collar as sweat dripped from my forehead I asked, "How do we get to the Captain?"

Here, Wall-E made a whirring sound and started off down the wrought iron walkways. It was a slow journey up to the main sections of the ship. Not only did we have to maneuver through the maze like inner workings, but there were Heartless to give us a hard time as well. But once we did make it out of the furnace into the cool upper levels, we found out that the passengers had locked themselves away in a containment chamber.

Rushing over, I pounded my fist on the small glass panel on the door and hollered, "Is everyone okay?!"

A heavy-set man and a woman appeared, both looking shaken, but altogether unharmed. They both explained that there was a monster that had driven them in there when the Captain had tried going to shut down the auto pilot on the ship after learning of its plan; a warped initiative of a no return directive implemented by someone from their original world. In a sense, this auto-pilot program got messed up and hijacked this ship trying to keep the people inside "safe". Riku jogged to the door that lead up to the Captain's cabin and tried the handle, only to discover that it wouldn't budge and needed a passkey to open.

"Don't worry!" I called to the frightened people. "We'll find a way to fix this!"

Just then, I felt the ground tremble violently under my feet. The passengers quickly retreated, leaving me and Riku to deal with whatever was coming. Wall-E merely ducked behind a pillar and called for E.V.E again. The rumbling grew closer. Calling out my Keyblade, I waited anxiously for the Heartless to make itself known. To my surprise however, what crashed to the ground in front of our feet wasn't a Heartless at all, but a sleek, all white robot. Wall-E rushed to her side in delight, seemingly asking if she was alright.

Ignoring his metal hands prodding at her, she narrowed her eyes and readied her weapons. As the thick cloud of dust dissipated, I could make out the outline of an enormous Heartless tottering around the corner into view. My mouth fell open slightly as I craned my neck to take it all in. Its body seemed like it was made out of hundreds of colorful television monitors and robots, all stacked and crushed into one another. But its head was what really caught my attention. Wide, flat, and black, it looked down at us and gnashed its glowing blue lightning-like teeth. Raising its hands – that appeared to be thick bundles of extension cords – it let out a roar and brought them down on us. Thinking quickly, I rolled to the side just in the nick of time.

Looking around, I saw Riku a few feet away, recovering from his own dodge, and E.V.E setting Wall-E down behind an assortment of large metal canisters; pointing warningly at him as if to say 'stay', she zoomed back to us and began firing a barrage of lasers at the Heartless. Working quickly, we knocked out each and every screen, and began delivering the finishing blows. And to my great pleasure, as the Heartless disappeared, it left behind a small piece of ceramic encoded with the password to the steerage cabin where the Captain was being held hostage.

Tossing a potion to Riku, we made our way to the door and let ourselves in. What we found waiting for us at the top of the winding staircase, was the Captain cowering under the control panels on the far side of the room, Heartless keeping him pinned. When we stepped inside the steering system Auto, that was keeping the passengers trapped, sealed off the room and announced that there was no way we could stop it from keeping its mission intact now that it had the powers of Darkness on its side.

Before we could offer up any sort of rebuttal, Auto called out wave after wave of Heartless minions. Not only did we have to fight past them, but the program also began shooting bursts of powerful electric shocks from its center console. It was looking grim for us. A beam grazed my arm when I was distracted burning my skin, and Riku was doubled over with a fresh set of claw marks on his chest. That's when I caught sight of little yellow Wall-E sneaking his way unnoticed towards a glowing canister. Careful to keep the steering system's attention from him, the robot reached in and yanked out…a small plant nestled inside of an old boot. Once it was removed, Auto whirled on the quivering robot. My eyes widened in horror. E.V.E had just enough time to call out Wall-E's name before an electric blast caught him right in the center of his yellow body.

Anger roared inside me as the white robot swooped to his side. Riku and I took our rage and directed it towards the corrupted steering system, eliminating the threat in a few final blows. There was nothing left but bits of broken plastic, metal, and sparking wires when we were done.

Ignoring the Captain offering his thanks, I ran to E.V.E and asked breathlessly, "Is he okay?"

Next thing I knew I was looking down the barrel of her plasma gun as she made an angry sound. Feeling my stomach clench in fear, I raised my hands in surrender. For a moment, she merely glared up at me, until finally she deflated, turning back to the limp robot in her arms.

"Help!" she pleaded, her voice reminding me of a small child trapped inside of a computer.

Putting my hand on her shoulder, I leant over and inspected the damage. It looked bleak. There was a large hole in his chest, and none of his lights were on. What could _I_ do to fix him? I barely knew how to run our Gummi ship, and what I did know was only what Faitouru had painstakingly drilled into my brain. At a loss, I looked back at Riku who'd just finished casting a cure spell on himself. He came to my side and also took in what had happened.

"What if we put new parts in, would that wake him up?" he asked, directing it to E.V.E.

Suddenly, determination flashed into her eyes. Rocketing out of the room after setting her friend down gently, she disappeared into the ship to search for anything that could save his life. In a flash, she was back, holding a complex array of equipment and parts. Pushing me out of the way roughly, she began working, moving faster than I could keep track of. I watched, holding my breath as she used her laser as an impromptu welding torch. When she finally backed away, we waited for him to spring back to life. But nothing happened.

Turning to me and Riku, she made impatient gestures at our hands and cried, "Key!"

For a moment, I didn't understand what she wanted, but then it hit me. Calling out my Keyblade, I glanced to Riku and nodded. Together, we raised our Keyblades and pointed them at the robot. A stream of light spilled from the tip, striking the spot where his heart would be. E.V.E rushed to his side once the light had dissipated and began calling his name. When he opened his eyes, we all let out a sigh of relief. But none of us got a chance to congratulate ourselves on our success. As he looked from face to face, I could tell that something wasn't right; he wasn't the same Wall-E we knew. He was just…another robot.

"Wall-E..?" E.V.E asked, placing her hand on his shoulder.

Nothing. He merely gazed up at us blankly. Just when I was beginning to think he was truly gone for good, she grabbed him resolutely and leant in for a quick kiss. Sparks literally flew between them. When she stepped back, he made a whirring sound, a few beeps, and his body began trembling; stilling, his eyes widened in shock. E.V.E giggled happily as he excitedly spun and jumped for joy. He was okay!

While they celebrated, Riku nudged me and nodded to the small plant in the boot. It was glowing. Raising our Keyblades once again, we sealed the world. Once that was done, the five of us (including the Captain) went down to the lower deck and freed the passengers. We said our goodbyes and wished everyone good luck shortly after. I was ready to leave the Axiom to its gentle cruise around the Worlds.

Riku and I were now back in the underbelly of the ship, trying to find our way back through to the service door we'd come in. Without Wall-E here to guide us, it was proving to be a bit difficult. When we'd circled around the same set of boilers for the third time, Riku stopped ahead of me as I plopped to the ground with a huge sigh.

"We've been down here for ages!" I groaned irritably.

Peering through the red tinged din, Riku looked like he was trying to formulate some sort of plan to get ourselves un-lost, but sadly he was unable to come up with anything and sat next to me with a defeated sigh of his own. The sound of the ship's engines rumbling around us wasn't enough to drown out my thoughts. As I gazed up through the networks of pipes, I thought back to Kairi standing outside of Yen Sid's tower. What if something happened to her while I was gone? I mean, I didn't really say goodbye to Fai either, and look where he was now; kidnapped. Guilt washed over me in waves, each stronger than the last.

"Hey, Riku?" I asked turning to look at him sitting propped against a crate.

"Hm…?"

"Do you think Kai's mad at me?"

Sitting up slightly, he returned my gaze. Thinking back to when we'd been outside of the tower he replied slowly, "No…I think she gets it."

I hung my head. Somehow I doubted that.

"Really," he began again. "She knows how much you want to find Fai, because she wants to too. She feels like it's her fault that he got taken. And she knows the only way she can feel better about that, is to let us go after him and Aqua. She wouldn't have had time for a lengthy goodbye anyways, now that she's going to train with Master Yen Sid."

Jeez, Riku always knew what to say to make me feel better. Shaking his head at my expression of admiration, he got to his feet and said, "Wait here for a bit, I think I might know where a map is."

Deciding that I also wanted to stretch my legs, I stood and paced along the walkway. Riku had been gone for a few minutes when I heard something knock a metal pipe over. Spinning on my heel quickly, I looked for any signs of Heartless. But everything was quiet. Waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dark, I remained as still as possible and watched for any signs of movement.

"Hello…?" I called out, my voice echoing metallically.

There in the shadow, something stood rooted to the spot. It couldn't have been Riku. He wasn't the type to sneak up on me, especially when we had a job to do. Tentatively I took a few steps nearer, keeping my eyes trained on it. When I was close enough, I called out my Keyblade. In the flash, a figure was illuminated, one that was wearing the Organization's signature black coat. As my eyes focused a little, I found my jaw dropping open as I recognized that person was the same size and height as…Faitouru.

"Fai!" I called in disbelief, dropping my defensive stance and reaching out to him. "What are you –"

He suddenly bolted in a panic, making my heart clench painfully. Automatically I followed after him, urgently calling out as I went. But he only kept running! Every so often, he'd look back to see if I was still there, and then try sprinting even harder. I merely continued to call after him. And just as we ran down a long hallway, something strange happened. My vision swam, and for a moment it felt like I'd been transported to the soft beach back on Destiny Island. The high sun cast a harsh glow around Fai, who was running away just like he was now, but instead of looking back at me anxiously, it was out of amusement.

The strange illusion was broken as he suddenly turned and disappeared behind a corner. Once again I was back in the dim underbelly of the Axiom. Rounding the same corner, I stopped dead in my tracks. There wasn't anyone there. He was gone. Down the long hall that stretched the length of the massive engines, I saw no one. Out of breath, I put my hands on my knees in disbelief. How could he be gone just like that? The sound of Riku calling out my name drew nearer as time passed. Finally he found me, still standing in front of the deserted hallway.

"What are you doing down here, Sora?!" he scolded, coming to a stop next to me. "You shouldn't just run off like that!"

Still unsure of what just happened; I shook my head and slowly turned to look up at him saying softly, "I thought I saw Faitouru…Riku, I know I didn't imagine it."

I could feel the tears welling up, but didn't even bother with them. I couldn't. All of a sudden, he gathered me into his arms. Finally feeling the tears flow freely down my cheeks onto his chest, I bawled, "We need to find him! I have to tell him that I'm sorry."

"We will. Don't worry Sora," he mumbled gently, coaxing me into going back the way I came. "C'mon…"

I let him lead me back to the Gummi ship, finally letting myself cry over the loss of my friend. After seeing him – because I know for sure it was him – only to have him disappear again…it was breaking my heart. When I'd finally stopped crying, Riku had set me down on the bed in the ship.

"What did she do to him?" I asked putting my head in my hands. "Why would he run away from me like that?"

As he stood by the door leading back out into the cabin, Riku looked over at me and said reassuringly, "No matter what's happened to him I promise we're going to do everything we can to bring him back."

A small smile turned up the corners of my mouth. I could see the sincerity burning in his eyes. He then told me to get some rest while he reset our course for Radiant Garden once again. Turning over onto my side, I closed my eyes and told myself that I needed to get a grip.

_'Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and let's figure this out already!' _

I grinned miserably as I imagined what Fai would be saying if he were with me right now.


	37. Radiant Garden, Lost Empire

~o~

More shops had been put in along the streets. Flowers in perfectly plotted gardens and fountains dotted the landscape, making everything feel more alive. Radiant Garden was really transforming into its namesake again. I was the first to reach the Restorative Team's base when we got into town, but as I strode through the door, I wish I'd delayed a little. Everyone was arguing. It was so loud I couldn't even hear properly what it was that was wrong. And no one even noticed that we'd entered the room.

"Guys!" I bellowed, my voice barely carrying into the cacophony. Frantically, I waved my hands and continued shouting, but we might as well have been paint on the walls.

Glancing over at Riku, I shrugged my shoulders as if to ask, 'now what'. Smirking down at me he lifted his hand to his lips and let loose an ear-splitting whistle. Wincing at the sound, I gave him an impressed smile to which he merely shrugged with a pleased glint in his eye before turning back to the others. By now they'd seen us, and were all smiling in embarrassment.

Leon stepped from the crowd and asked gruffly, "What do you want? And who's that?"

He jerked his thumb at Riku who made no move to explain. I laughed good-naturedly and replied, "Well, this is Riku! And we're here because we need to ask some questions about someone. What's the ruckus about?"

"We're running ourselves ragged!" Yuffie exploded, throwing her hands in the air. "I can't tell you how many things we have to do to make this place even remotely functional! I mean, we need more man power! I can't take much more!"

"Don't worry, Riku and I can help out," I started happily.

Leon offered up one of his rare lopsided grins, looked over our shoulders and asked curiously, "What do you guys need to know anyway? And hey, where's Faitouru? Wanted to see how he's coming along…"

My face fell. Faitouru and Leon had always acted like brothers. How was I going to tell him that Fai had been kidnapped? At a loss for words, I looked between their worried faces, wide-eyed and open mouthed. I could see the worry mounting. Riku stepped between them and me as he announced, "Faitouru was taken…"

"By who?!" Leon bit out angrily. I felt his eyes travel over me accusingly, but I couldn't meet his gaze.

Riku answered smoothly, "That's who we wanted to ask you about. We know it was a woman named Aqua; a Keyblade Wielder that has control over the Darkness. We were hoping you guys might know something about her."

We were met by blank faces as the others tried placing the description of the woman with anyone they'd seen or heard. They had nothing. Head hanging low, Leon muttered for us to follow him through town to help get rid of some pesky Heartless groups. I felt horrible, but I knew I couldn't let it get to me. I had to prove to Leon that I would do everything I could to get Fai back. As Riku and I were saying our goodbyes I pulled Leon aside and said, "Nothing will stop me from getting him back, I promise you."

"You better keep your word," he said, dead serious. Keeping my eyes locked on his, I nodded.

The others waved behind his shoulder as I started heading back through the growing town. Stuffing my hands deeper into my pockets, I looked around and told myself that I would work harder than I'd ever worked before to bring him back. I would make it right again.

"Wait!"

Just up ahead, Riku ran by the archway in front of me into an alley, calling after someone. It was all strangely familiar to what happened to me on the Axiom. Feeling my heart pounding in time to my feet running over the streets, I went after him. And there, just ahead, was the same hooded figure. There was no other explanation, it had to be Fai!

"Stop…!" Riku hollered. But it was no use.

We came around the last line of houses into what looked like an older more unfinished part of town. Chunks of building lay crumbled in the street, as the empty husks stood looming over a small circular square. The figure paused in the center, unable to go anywhere else, and turned to look at the pair of us.

Gasping I cried, "Fai please, come back with us!"

I could see the indecision in his body language. But what could be holding him back? Holding my hand out as an offering, I started walking slowly towards him, never taking my eyes away.

"Leave him."

Appearing from a swirling Dark Corridor was a tall, lean figure of a woman that could only be Aqua. She too wore the familiar black coat of the Organization. Her hood was up, obscuring her features, but I knew. Quickly holding out her hand, she forced Fai to stop in his tracks. Looking to Riku and me, I could feel the longing coming from him.

"Don't listen to her!" I cried out, as he hung his head and made his way into the portal. But I might as well have been talking to a rock. He stepped in without looking back. Whatever hold she had over him, I was going to end it. Taking a few angry strides forward, I bellowed, "Aqua!"

She paused, her back to me. For a moment, I thought she might ignore me as well, but then she did something I wasn't expecting. Lifting her hands, she slowly pushed back her hood, revealing her head of bright blue hair. Her eyes found mine over her shoulder, and in them, I saw sadness. But what could that mean?

"That is _not_ my name…" she muttered softly before stepping through the Dark Corridor.

Dumbfounded, I looked back at Riku and asked, "What was that about?"

He merely shrugged and said, "I think we should check in with Master Yen Sid."

Nodding, we quickly went back to the ship and asked Chip and Dale to patch us through to the Mysterious Tower. The old wizard came up on our screen looking a little surprised to hear from us so soon. We related all that had happened, mentioning that it seemed to us like they were looking for something.

"It appears that Master Aqua has not fared well in the Realm of Darkness…" he mused, clasping his long fingers together under his chin in thought. "As for young Faitouru, the legends and laws of the Protector are a mystery to me, but others may know. My only recommendation would be to travel to different worlds and search for anything that could be of use to our cause."

We both bowed respectfully before signing off. Hurrying around the cramped cabin Riku called over his shoulder to me, "There's another world with a spike of Heartless activity. We should get there in two hours, maybe a bit more."

"Okay, I'm going to take a quick nap if you don't mind." I said, pointing with my thumb to the room that held our bunk. "Come wake me in an hour and we'll switch?"

I didn't look to see if he agreed. I was exhausted. I could barely concentrate on walking let alone flying a Gummi. I fell onto the stiff mattress and sighed heavily. But sleep wasn't as easy to come by as I'd hoped it would be, not with Fai out there still in Aqua's clutches, trying to fulfill some unknown task. I missed him. So much so that it left a painful ache in my chest. Even if he said something cruel to me, it wouldn't matter, I only wanted to hear his voice again and know that hope wasn't completely gone. But I can't think like that. Hope is still here even if he won't look me in the eye, or talk to me. I have to think of the happier times.

Resting my hands over my eyes to shut out the remaining light, I took in deep breaths, trying to calm my heart. I only had to think of when everything was right. Like when we first saw each other. Our eyes met and it was like something had clicked deep inside me. I knew then that we'd be friends. Then there was when he'd laughed for the first time in front of me. We'd been in Wonderland, and I couldn't have been more pleased about being wrong about a person. I'd thought I'd never be able to make it through that thick outer shell of his. Of course it had been at my own expense, but seeing it then made me realize that he was a truly good person.

Suddenly, as I recalled moments with my best friend, I could feel my consciousness being pulled deeper and deeper until I wasn't thinking anymore. _I was floating down through an impossibly blue sky to my home, Destiny Islands. On I went, my dream-self diving closer to two figures running along the white sand. At first I expected to see the tops of mine and Riku's heads, but…the second was…_

"C'mon, wake up you lazy bum. It's your turn to steer." Riku called. His hand on my shoulder shaking slightly drew me back to reality in a split second. As my eyes flashed open I asked myself the question: who had that been?

Shaking my head as I caught sight of Riku's smirking face, I muttered an apology and moved past him towards the main cabin. As he sat down he called after my retreating back, "Don't crash us, okay?!"

Nodding deftly, I stumbled sleepily out and sat heavily in the chair. Shaking my head, I told myself that it was only a weird dream, and checked our coordinates.

~0~

Stepping out onto the world, I took in a deep breath. The air tasted salty with a hint of cool earth. Probably because we were standing in an underground grotto, on a dock, next to a submarine that quite possibly was sitting in salt water. I smiled to myself, as I clapped my hands together and began looking around. So where was the danger? And almost like it was answering my very thoughts, both Riku and I heard frightened cries ring out from up ahead. Giving him a quick look, I called out my Keyblade and dashed down the path towards the noise.

When we skidded to a halt in the center of a torn up campsite, I saw Heartless bearing down on nearly a dozen people. I didn't waste any time, merely jumped into the fray. It took the pair of us a while, but when we'd dispatched with the last of them, my hands were immediately taken up by a wiry young red head named Milo Thatcher.

"W-Wow," he cried, quickly moving to Riku to also shake hands vigorously. "Just…wow. That was incredible!"

Adjusting his glasses, he motioned to the others who'd taken refuge behind a pile of wooden crates, and continued, "Those creatures have been terrorizing us since we arrived, and you two…took care of them easier than –"

"Than _me_, Mr. Thatcher?" a deep voice finished questioningly.

I turned and caught sight of a tall barrel-chested man with grey hair accompanied by an even dozen armed men and one curvaceous woman with long sweeping golden locks. Instantly I felt the hairs on my arms stand up. And one thing I know from when that happens, is that it's never a good sign. This guy had to be up to something…and that something had to be nothing short of sinister.

Milo's freckled face went pale as his own eyes fell on the man. A young woman with skin the color of chocolate and hair as black as coals stepped forward, slapping Riku roughly on the shoulder (although I don't think she meant it to be that way) and said, "Roark, these boys just saved us!"

"Yes, but have you wondered how they got down here to join in on our _top secret mission_?" he countered harshly, sizing Riku and I both up.

"We weren't following you!" I answered haughtily. "We got down here on our own!"

"So you don't know anything about what we're trying to do down here?" the blonde woman asked skeptically finally speaking.

I merely grinned and answered, "Not a clue!"

"Well we can't just let them leave." An older woman coughed out, the cigarette held delicately between her index and middle finger creating small smoke rings around her head.

"E-exactly!" Milo cut in nervously, wringing his hands. "That's why we should let them be a part of the expedition."

The man Roark looked down at Milo with smoldering eyes until finally he stood straight, seemingly letting all the ill feelings fall away and cried, "Then I think my security detail would be glad to take you boys in!"

Nodding gratefully, Milo quickly took a hold of our elbows and steered us away from the large crowd. He then set us down on a pair of stools and situated himself before us. Before we could talk he muttered under his breath, glancing back to the others as he did, "I don't care who you two are working for, but the only way you'll be safe now is if you stay with me."

"What makes you think we're in danger?" Riku asked leaning in closer to the squirming man.

His eyes wide, he took a deep breath and explained, "I'm a linguist and a cartographer. For years I've been lobbying to get a team down here to help me uncover the greatest myth in history; the lost city of Atlantis! Everything was going fine until we set up camp here. Roark had his…_team_ of goons sent in from the surface and well they are…rather odd."

"Odd? What do you mean?"

"Something about them is wrong. Not only that, but Roark's eyes have changed," Milo answered, glancing nervously at said man. "And those creatures – the ones you got rid of a moment ago – have been swarming the paths through to the other side of the cavern. We think they're drawn to the lost city's power source, but his men have barely done anything to get us past them!"

"But why does that put us in danger? We only just got here." I questioned.

"It's Atlantis. Roark, he…he _needs_ to find it. And I don't think he'll let anyone get in the way of that discovery. Not if he can help it. I'm even starting to wonder if he even wants _us_ to find it." Milo said lowly. "That's why you two need to be careful around him."

Riku and I both glanced between us before nodding seriously in understanding. At that, Milo sighed and rubbed his eyes, pushing his overly large glasses out of the way. Muttering to himself he said, "All I want is to prove it's real. That's all…"

"Don't worry," I said, patting him on the shoulder. "We'll help you find your um…Atalanta?"

He laughed and asked looking back up at me, "You really don't know what Atlantis is, do you?"

"Not too much of a surprise with this guy," Riku added smiling impishly. "He doesn't get much through that thick skull of his."

"Hey!" I cried, glaring over at him. "You don't know what it is either!"

Milo just laughed and told us that once camp was cleaned up, lunch would be served and he'd get us acquainted with the others.

As we went about the small rocky camp, helping right overturned tables and broken tents, Riku asked out of the blue, "Were you having a bad dream before?"

"Huh?" I stopped and asked, raising a brow unsurely.

"Back on the Gummi Ship, before I woke you up, you were muttering and…looked upset."

"Oh…" I muttered, drawing my brows together in thought. "I don't know. I can't remember what it was about, now."

He returned the smile I gave him but reluctantly, and I could still see the worry in his eyes as we made our way over to the long picnic table where the others were gathering. But I didn't think about it anymore since I was being introduced to an enormous group of people all at once. Gaetan "Mole" Moliere was a dirt loving Frenchman that served as the team's…dirt expert so to speak. Cookie was the elderly chef that reminded me of Cid in a lot of ways, accent and all. Wilhelmina Packard was the sarcastic elderly woman, never without a smoke in her hand that operated the team's communications. Audrey Ramirez was the young dark skinned woman that spoke up before. She was extremely spunky and definitely not afraid to chew your ear off (in my case cause I knocked over a pile of her special wrenches and definitely didn't hear the end of it) and worked as the team's head engineer. Dr. Sweet was the medic, fast-talking, and kind. Lastly, was Vinny the mustachioed demolitions expert, or as he liked to say in his thick accent, "I make things go 'boom'". All in all, a very colorful and…interesting group.

Fai would've hated being with this many people. I could see him now, sitting close to me, but angled in such a way that said 'don't talk to me' to everyone else. But after a while, he would warm up…he always did. I bowed my head, hoping that the flickering shadow the fire was giving off (that we now migrated to sitting around), would be enough to hide the tears threatening to fall from prying eyes. But of course, I felt Riku's warm hand rest gently against my shoulder. I was grateful he didn't say anything.

All I could manage to whisper was, "I hope we find something soon…"

The whole group had just slipped into that sleepy state you find yourself in after eating a large meal, when suddenly a loud mechanical roar erupted from over the cliffs in the direction Atlantis was supposed to be in, accompanied by the crash of rocks breaking. Instantly I was wide awake and on my feet. Frightened cries rang out all around me as I searched for the source of the disturbance. And then I spotted it scuttling like a giant scorpion over the side of a ridge just down the path from us. I called for the others to retreat just as its large yellow eyes zeroed in on us.

Once they were safely out of harm's way, I glanced to Riku and asked sarcastically, "Wonder where Roark and his men went off to at such a convenient time?"

"C'mon!" Riku roared, rushing forward. I followed close at his heels, letting him take the lead.

As we ran, I peered up at the Heartless, trying to figure out what kind it was. It was huge obviously, which meant tough. But it also seemed to have the outer shell of the same sort of rock that made up the cave. Not only that, but under the hard surface and shadowy layer underneath, was a molten core of lava. Both of us had to dodge a few globs of this hurtling down on us as the Heartless flicked its tail.

When we reached the base of the cliff it clung to, I had to continue dodging its rain of fireballs as I jumped from one ledge to the next, trying to hit its front legs. Of course it would scuttle away to the other side before I could do some real damage. So minute upon minute passed, playing this little game of chase, until finally Riku knocked one of its front legs out causing it to topple over.

It crashed to the ground below – its legs and tail flailing angrily – causing everything to quake. Sending a quick burst of my blizzard magic down first, I hurled myself into the air and landed on its soft underbelly, delivering a powerful finishing blow. Quickly, I somersaulted down and watched as its heart slowly drifted up into the air towards the grotto's ceiling. There, it dissipated into a swirl of opaque smoke.

No matter how many times I see it happen, it still makes me feel a little sorry for them.

After a moment of silence, I turned to find Riku also gazing up at the place where the escaped heart had dissipated. Putting a small smile on, I said, "Good work."

He started and met my gaze. Throwing my arm up and over his shoulder, I pulled him down to my level and ruffled his hair. Finally giving me the laughter I'd wanted to hear in the first place, he pushed me away. Walking back to camp he said, "Guess Roark's men were too scared to take on that Heartless."

I answered putting my hands behind my head with a laugh, "Yeah, but it would have been nice to have a hand though."

When we reached camp, we were greeted with stunned appraisal. None of them thought we'd make it back alive. I merely grinned and asked if I could rest for a bit somewhere. Milo eagerly led the pair of us to his tent, which wasn't much, but at least there was a lumpy pad rolled out. Once we were settled, he poked his head in and whispered, glancing over his shoulder, "Roark made the excuse that his men had been detained by a group of those smaller creatures further back. But I don't believe him for a second. I'm glad you two came back in one piece."

"Do you think Roark has something to do with the Heartless just now?" I asked Riku as soon as Milo was out of sight.

He nodded, "Probably, but we can't be certain until he uses his powers openly. We'll just have to play his game until that happens."

Sighing heavily, I flung my arms up behind my head so I could rest on them comfortably and muttered, "And whenever that happens we'll be ready for him."

Yawning, I closed my eyes and murmured something about being totally worn out before I fell into the dream world.

~o~

_The air had taken on a golden hue, turning the early evening into a pleasantly warm wonderland. I stood on the beach at Destiny Islands looking out across the water in the direction of the main island. My bare toes dug into the warm upper layer of sand, finding the cooler stuff underneath, making a small shiver run up my spine. _

_"You have to remember."_

_Turning curiously towards the voice, I felt my eyes widen in shock as I looked down at my younger self. His aquamarine eyes bore into my own as he stood gazing up at me. Suddenly feeling like my throat was dry; I asked hoarsely, "Remember what?"_

_"You have to," he repeated urgently. "Or you'll never be able to bring him back."_

_Shaking my head, I knelt down to my younger self's level and asked, "What do you mean? Who am I bringing back?"_

_But now he stood silent, merely looking over at me like I was something interesting sticking out of the sand. I tried reaching out to touch his (my?) shoulder, but was shocked to find that my hand went straight through his chest. I was gazing completely dumbstruck down at my hand – that looked solid enough – when I heard other voices calling from behind me. My younger self seemed to light up with happiness, waving his arms excitedly over his head in greeting._

_And then I knew that I had to turn around. I had to find out who was there. Deep in my heart, I knew it was more important than anything that I see who was coming to meet…me. But as I began pivoting on my heel, I could feel the dream slipping away. Everything was falling, leaving empty white spaces and broken fragments behind. Just a little more! It was like one of those dreams where you push yourself to run as fast as you can, but never go more than a few feet. _

_I could see Riku's silhouette from when he was the same age, running over the shattering ground to get to me. And behind him getting swallowed by the expanding light, was someone else…_


	38. Lost Empire, Gummi

~o~

Jolting up from the ground, I sucked in a gasping lungful of air. My heart was racing like I'd just gotten done fighting a hoard of Heartless, and I couldn't seem to calm down. Clutching at my chest, I became aware of a pair of arms wrapped tightly around my quivering shoulders. Just then, my ears unclogged and I heard Riku saying over my loud rasping breaths, "It's alright, it was just a dream!"

Instantly, my body un-tensed, leaving me sitting limp in his grasp. I could feel the dream slipping away from me already, but I could still remember the dread I felt seeing that second figure running towards me. Who had that been? It couldn't have been Kairi I looked too young for her to have arrived there yet. Could that have been who I'm supposed to remember? The one my younger self was telling me about?

Placing my head in my hands, I wiped away the cold sweat that had accumulated there and muttered an apology to Riku. He released me and sat back. I looked through my fingers at him and saw that he was terrified.

"It was only a dream, like you said. I've had them before." I said reasuringly after clearing my throat. "I'm fine now."

He nodded, but I could tell he was holding something back from me. Sitting up to face him I asked softly, "Riku, what is it?"

His eyes flicked down, avoiding my own before he continued, "Before we left for the exam Faitouru told me something about…his past."

"Okay," I encouraged, wondering what exactly he knew that I didn't.

"I told him I wouldn't tell you because he didn't want you to worry, but since you seem to be having recurring nightmares…I can't help but think it might help us find him."

Anything that would help me find Fai, I wanted to know; even if that meant hearing something that was meant to be a secret. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I heard something that helped me locate him anyway. I shifted impatiently in my sitting position while I waited for Riku to start his explanation.

Looking over at me before looking away once again, he began unsurely, "We were on the Island –"

"Milo, no…!" Audrey cried frantically from outside.

Throwing Riku a look that said 'we'll talk later', I burst out of the tent and saw Milo scrambling over the cliffs after some sort of Heartless. My feet moved before I could even think. I lost Riku over the top of the cliff, but I knew he could take care of himself. It was Milo, the gangly uncoordinated bookworm that I was worried about. I managed to catch up with him as he slipped through a narrow opening between two boulders. On and on I wove through a rock maze until finally I emerged, my face colliding with Milo's back. Clutching my now throbbing nose I took a hold of one of his elbows to try and drag him back to the safety of camp, but I was answered by his hand raising and pointing out ahead of us.

That was when I realized we were no longer in the dark caves. Soft light filtered in from high above, illuminating the spectacular scenery. An enormous island of cascading water loomed ahead, like something out of a story. And far off near the center of the island was a gleaming city; Atlantis! We'd just found what they'd been looking for! I turned to congratulate Milo, and was met with a spear tip poised just below my chin. Peering into my peripheral vision I saw nearly half a dozen of the same creature that I'd seen Milo chasing after earlier, all with the same yellow eyes and grotesquely large heads standing around with weapons.

The one in front of Milo jabbed threateningly with the sharp spear and said something fiercely in a strange language. They could talk! So much for these guys being some form of Heartless. When neither of us answered right away, the phrase was repeated, this time with more anger. Suddenly Milo's eyes widened with realization. I watched in awe as he said something back in the harsh dialect, and then each time they exchanged words, the dialect changed until finally the person reached up and drew off the mask, revealing her true features. She was very beautiful, with dark skin that was off-set by white hair.

Gazing over at us curiously she exclaimed with a smirk, "You speak well for an outsider."

"Y-You speak my language?!" Milo stuttered completely taken-aback.

She merely shrugged as if to say that it wasn't that big of a deal and began circling around us, taking in our appearances. Milo, holding his arms up awkwardly and jumping slightly at her prodding finger, squeaked faintly to himself, "Amazing…this _place_ and these _people_…they're _real_!"

Motioning to the others around us to lower their weapons and remove their masks, she continued studying us. They all looked so unsure and in a way innocent. Smiling brightly over at them I called, "My name's Sora, nice to meet you all!"

Her hand brushed curiously over my spiky hair as she replied distractedly, "I am Kidagakash Nedakh."

"That's a bit of a mouthful." Milo laughed nervously. "Do you have a nickname?"

She tilted her head in question, so I tried to clarify with the addition of miming with my hands, "A _shorter_ name?"

"Kida," she answered after a moment of thought. "And who is your linguist?"

"Ah, that's Milo!" I answered grinning.

"Why don't you, your linguist, and the other one hiding over there, come with us?"

I blinked and looked to where she'd motioned and saw Riku standing up from behind a cluster of rocks near the narrow entrance. He too looked a little surprised that she'd known he was there the whole time.

"Actually _stand_…in _Atlantis_?" Milo breathed in disbelief, his face looking a few shades paler behind his large glasses that Kida plucked from the tip of his nose.

"Yes, I want to learn all about your strange rituals and gestures. And the land above! But your crew must remain in the caves where they are. Father will not take well to so many strange faces."

After retrieving his glasses, Milo raced back to camp to relay that we were safe, and that only we had received an invitation to visit the lost city. I stayed back to introduce Riku to them. They were just finishing comparing hair color when Milo came back. He looked worried. And I knew that meant Roark must not have been too pleased by the news. But what could we do about that?

In any case, it was exciting crossing the rickety bridge over the thousands of feet of nothing to the city. Milo was even more excited – or possibly scared – he was visibly trembling all over as he continued speaking with Kida in her native tongue. This of course pleased the whole group of native Atlantians greatly. But as we traveled through this amazing new place, I reminded myself that I needed to keep an eye out for any sign of Faitouru or Aqua being here.

Dozens of people peered at us from behind broken pillars, or dim entranceways. I tried looking as inviting as I could as Milo led the way with Kida into the central building where an ancient man greeted us. Clutching his staff and peering down at us with milky white eyes, he gave off the same level of might and importance as Master Yen Sid. I kept quiet.

"…very well," he said finally after a long discussion in Atlantian on the pro's and con's of having us 'invading' their home. "Show them our ways, Kida, but they are welcome here no longer than a day. After they have rested, they must leave and never come back to this place."

I could tell she wanted to argue, but knew that what he said was law. Head hung low, she led us back out into the streets. As she stood brooding, Milo cleared his throat nervously and asked, "Why is this place in such uh…disrepair?"

Taking in the state of the surrounding buildings myself, I realized that he was right. The buildings and the roads seemed to be either broken, or repaired unskillfully. Even the people seemed to be out of order in a way.

Determination suddenly flashed into her eyes as she said hurriedly, "Come, follow me!"

Ducking off the path through some low hanging tree branches, she took hold of Milo's hand and yanked him after her. I glanced back at Riku who shrugged as if to say, 'might as well'. As we trailed deeper into the overgrown jungle she began to breathlessly explain that when the city submerged itself, it was trying to protect the inhabitants from an invasion of warriors and their creatures with yellow eyes and black bodies; Heartless. They were drawn to the city's power source. After that, the power source, or the keyhole, sealed itself away taking the power the people relied on with it.

"I wish to understand our past so I can restore my home to what it once was," she explained, slipping expertly into a small crevice in the side of a sunken stone temple. Inside vines had grown to cover most of the walls, leaving a small pool in the center. Taking the crystal from around her neck (that she said held on to the last of Atlantis' power), she blew gently on it. And like a coal in a fire it glowed brilliantly, but instead of going out, it remained lit. Here she cautioned us that the only way to get to what she wanted us to see was to hold our breaths and swim.

"No problem," I said puffing my chest out a little in pride. "Riku and I practically grew up in the water!"

Flashing us an approving smile, she dove in. Surfacing, she beckoned for us to follow. Grinning from ear to ear, I took in a great lungful of air, and then dove into the icy cold water after her; definitely not the same as the Island's water. It was very dark down there, but Kida's light shone the way for us perfectly. And when she stopped, I saw half a dozen stone carved heads of all different shapes and sizes littering the floor. Staring down at them in awe, I almost didn't see her pointing up.

We surfaced in another section of the temple, and she explained that those heads represented the Kings of the past; her ancestors. She then took Milo back under to see if he could translate some writing on one of the walls. But by the third trip, I realized something was wrong. Through the thick walls I could hear the faint sound of people crying out. And, just as Kida and Milo surfaced, a great explosion rocked the whole place.

"We gotta get back!" I cried, diving in.

After a hurried sprint back through the forest, we came upon a horrible scene of destruction. Heartless were rampaging through the city. But how? I looked around wildly and saw far off in the distance, the entrance from the cave. There I saw where the explosion had originated from. A gaping hole the size of two houses had been blown open, and now thousands upon thousands of Heartless were pouring out of it. But they weren't attacking, at least most of them weren't. Instead they were gathering, building upon themselves, creating a large wall of unstoppable power.

Kida, clutching her shoulders tightly, whispered, "It's like before…"

"What, you mean you were there when this first happened?!" Milo asked incredulously.

Just then I spotted someone from the team back at camp go sprinting by. I ignored his comment in favor of running after her. Finally, I took a hold of the back of her jacket and cried, "Stop!"

Audrey, pouting angrily, wrenched free of my grasp and cried, "I have to help Sweet! Roark, he…"

"What'd Roark do? Is he the one bringing all the Heartless here?"

She nodded, explained quickly that all Roark wanted was power, enough so that he could rule Atlantis _and_ the surface world. Then she caught sight of the others coming up behind me. Setting her jaw, she clutched Dr. Sweet's bag to her chest and dashed towards the King's room. Closing my eyes in dread I realized what Roark must have done. He must have sent in a Heartless to steal the King's heart, to weaken the people enough to steal their city and their hearts.

By the time we got to him, it was too late. Kida knelt by her father's side and wept openly. I turned to Riku and said, "We've got to try and keep these people safe!"

Nodding, Riku made to leave, but was stopped by Milo's hand on his shoulder. A strange look came over his face as he said, "I saw a carving in the temple…of the people using these kinds of flying devices. Maybe I can help too! Hold on!"

He then ran to Kida explained something quickly to her, to which she stood, rubbed the tears away determinedly and followed after him as he sprinted out into the fray. It turned out that he was right. We found these flying vehicles that were powered by Kida's crystal. Looking back to the wave of Heartless still building, I turned to Riku and said hurriedly, "Find a way to unlock the power of the Keyhole! That's the only way to save this place! I'll hold them off!"

"Sora, there's too many –"

I merely grinned as an answer, and took off, Keyblade in hand. My heart thrummed in my chest, but I kept fighting. Soon, I was joined by Atlantians and even some of the members from the expedition. We were winning, for now at least. If we didn't hurry and pull off something amazing quickly, then that giant cluster would descend, and none of us could fight off that many even if we wanted to.

And then I saw it; a flicker of something black moving through the shadows trying not to be seen. Reluctantly I pulled away from the fight to follow after the figure slipping through the outskirts of the battle. Frantically, I cut down as many Heartless as I could before stumbling down a narrow path through the forest to a small clearing. As I burst in, I saw the two people I'd kept one eye looking out for the whole time being here. Aqua was bent, talking in hushed tones with Faitouru who still had his hood up obscuring his face.

As I stepped in I heard her say, "…not here."

That's when she noticed my presence. Both grew still for a moment, like two deer surprised in a forest. But after a moment, Aqua's hand shot out, a Dark Corridor materializing where she was pointing. I started forward calling after Fai, but it was too late, he was already ushered through, leaving Aqua. Turning, she gazed over at me with those sad eyes of hers.

"What do you want with Faitouru?" I asked, still in my defensive stance, Keyblade at the ready. "What are you planning?"

"I want nothing," she said softly, almost too softly for me to hear. "It is meant to happen."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am merely the hand that guides the piece across the board."

"He's not some pawn in whatever your twisted game is!" I cried angrily, dashing towards her, ready to swing. "Give me back my friend, Aqua!"

Those eyes, so deep with sorrow, merely gazed down at me as she slid easily back into the Dark Corridor. The last thing she whispered was, "I am _not_ her…"

Panting, I threw my Keyblade angrily at the ground where she'd last stood, causing chunks of dirt and moss to fly up into my face. What does she mean she doesn't want anything from him? None of what she said was making any sense at all! And Faitouru…was losing to her. This time when he saw me, he didn't even have to argue with her about going into the portal.

Crouching so my head rested against my knees, I took in a deep breath to calm my nerves. I couldn't let myself get carried away by emotions just now. I had a world to save. Wiping at my cheeks furiously, I stood and dashed back the way I came and found Riku standing with his Keyblade pointed at Kida who was suspended about a hundred feet in the air surrounded by the glowing epitaphs of the Kings of old from under the sunken temple. So she provided the link to the Keyhole?

I smiled as the thin stream of light traveled from the tip of his Keyblade all the way to her. A bright light engulfed her, and from that, an opaque force extended all around the city just as the Heartless hoard decided to unleash itself. They fell upon it, only to instantly be destroyed, releasing their hearts. Soon, it was all over. Kida gracefully floated back down into Milo's arms as the Atlantian people cheered for their victory.

An arm slipped over my shoulder heavily, making me start. But it was only Riku grinning down at me happily. I returned the smile, and decided that telling him about Fai and Aqua could wait. Right now, it was time for celebration.

~0~

"Hey Riku…what were you going to tell me about back in the cave?" I asked, carefully avoiding eye contact.

We'd made it back to the Gummi ship after saying our goodbyes and eating a lot of really weird food. Once inside I told him all about confronting Fai and Aqua in the clearing. We concluded that they were definitely looking for something, but were still confused about what it was, or if Aqua was working for someone else or not.

Not quite meeting my gaze, he looked past me through the window. Watching as the Worlds passed by, he said softly, "Before he was taken, Faitouru told me about his past."

Nodding encouragingly, I looked through my mind recalling everything my Protector had told me about where he'd grown up. I could picture his home sitting small and unassuming on the outskirts of town, and his special place by the river sitting in the shadow of the mountains under the oak tree. What could Riku know that I didn't?

"He said that old memories came to him in his dreams," Riku began, his hands clasping together as my eyes widened. "His real home wasn't in Junction…when he was younger he was on the islands…with us."

It felt like the bottom had dropped out of me. What he was saying was impossible! I would remember if Fai had been there! Shaking my head I stuttered, "It's probably a trick. Aqua might have –"

"No Sora," Riku cut in, his eyes finally meeting mine. "Don't you remember him too? He was there, but someone took him away."

"B-but why?"

I was still having a hard time believing Faitouru had been there in the beginning. It didn't make any sense! How could Riku, who'd only spent a short time with him, remember when I couldn't?! Clutching at the spot over my thrumming heart, I wracked my confused brain for anything that could give me a clue. But there was nothing. Did it have something to do with Aqua? Or someone more sinister? Could this be part of Xehanort's grand scheme to aquire the _X_-blade? This changed everything, and _both_ of them had kept this from me? A stab of hurt and jealousy ran through me simultaneously.

"We'll find out," Riku answered, placing a heavy hand on my shoulder.

Blinking, I looked up and asked, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I'm sorry Sora. He asked me not to." Riku muttered. "He didn't want you to worry…"

Anger settled deep in my gut as I sat there completely dumbstruck. After a silent minute though, I was able to take in a deep breath and tell him that it was alright. At least he told me and didn't keep it a secret any longer. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze to let him know that I was fine, I stood and headed to the rear of the Gummi, seeking solitude and a warm bed to curl up in. Once my body had relaxed, I let my mind go into overdrive, searching for anything that would verify what I'd just heard. But all that came up was playing with Riku. Could I really have forgotten, or was this part of some elaborate hoax? Maybe I was supposed to find some kind of cryptic hidden meaning in Fai wanting to keep it a secret from me? Squeezing my eyes shut, I forced myself to calm down.

~o~


	39. Andy's Room

~o~

I don't remember when I fell asleep, but I was glad I did. I needed the rest. Riku woke me by jostling my shoulder and telling me that another World had started getting some Heartless activity. Rubbing away the sleep from my eyes, I quickly followed after my silver haired friend as he started talking about a minor problem.

"…system says the World had a significant size and anatomical difference, so we can't go in like we are now." He explained, motioning toward a few of the blinking data pages on the monitors. "So how did you four adjust to match the Worlds when you were traveling before?"

"Ah, well..." I answered completely at a loss. "Donald usually used his magic."

It seemed we'd reached a bump in the road. I knew that I couldn't do that kind of magic, and I was fairly certain Riku couldn't either.

"Maybe the ship has some sort of teleport setting that could apply the magic for us?" Riku wondered.

We must've searched for at least half an hour before I finally emerged from under the console triumphantly clutching a Gummi Block in my hand. Tossing it over to Riku I exclaimed, "That should do it!"

With both of us grinning, he applied it to the transport module and suddenly, I felt the familiar tingling sensation of traveling down to a new world. When I opened my eyes, they were met with a blinding light. Squinting, I held up my hand and stood on wobbly legs. The sun seemed to be shining in through a window that was at least a hundred times bigger than a normal one. The scans hadn't been lying when they said we wouldn't have fit in. It was like being in Wonderland all over again, but minus the obnoxious talking doorknob.

Still squinting, I peered through the window down to the yard and street below. Everything was so much bigger! Smiling to myself, I turned away from the harsh light and gazed at my immediate surroundings. It was incredible! Standing on the edge of an oversized desk next to a pencil sharpener, I looked around at the room fit for a giant little boy. A small laugh alerted me to Riku's presence behind me. Turning, I saw what was so amusing. Instead of wearing our regular clothes it seems the Gummi ship changed everything about us. Riku stood shifting uncomfortably in a suit of silver armor. Not only that, but a helmet was pulled down low, the visor covering the lower half of his face.

At the sight of him, I guffawed, clutching my cramping stomach. Scowling, he crossed his arms with a clank and pointed out, "At least I'm not a monkey."

Glancing down, I marveled at the strange texture my skin had adopted. It was like fur, but different somehow. And then I saw the thread connecting me together at the joints. Realization came at me like a slap to the face. Rushing over to Riku, I flicked his armor and found that it was plastic. Not only that, but his joints were only able to move because they were connected together by little mechanisms. My mouth now open, I looked around at our surroundings once again and put two and two together.

"_Riku_," I gushed, bouncing up and down excitedly, "We're toys!"

Nodding in understanding, he said, "Well yours certainly fits your personality."

"Hey!" I cried, elbowing him playfully.

Just as we shared a smile, I heard the loud cry of someone in need of help. Quickly calling out my Keyblade, I loped on all fours over to the edge of the desk and saw two toys trying to outrun a Heartless. Without skipping a beat, I jumped down, landing softly (my stuffing must've cushioned my fall). Sending a blast of wind magic over the two toy's heads as I ran out, I hollered, "Find cover, we'll keep it busy!"

One of the toys, a cowgirl clutching her bright red hat stuttered to a stop next to me and tried arguing, but at that moment Riku caught up and echoed my words. Her companion, a dark brown stuffed horse nudged her with his nose and snorted as if to tell her to get a move on. With one last look at the pair of us, she called over her shoulder, "Y'all be careful!"

Reaching up I scratched at my head and grinned comfortingly. Then I turned and faced the Heartless once again. Its whole body was covered in what looked like hundreds of Lego pieces, all different sizes and shades. As my wind magic died down, I saw that he pieces that had fallen off were starting to click back into place by an invisible force. That wasn't good. If it could regenerate, then that made this fight so much more difficult. But we had to give the toys enough time to make it to safety. So Riku and I fought tirelessly against the giant Heartless, until both of us were completely exhausted.

"We can't keep this up for much longer," I called breathlessly, dodging one of the pieces as it was hurled in my direction. "We have to make a run for it!"

Also struggling for breath, Riku nodded taking the lead back to the safety of the desk. If we could make it underneath the drawers to the right, we'd be safe. The Heartless was too big to follow after us there. It was a mad dash, but somehow we slid under the wooden desk in the nick of time. I let my soft head flop down onto the dust covered floor as the Heartless roared in frustration, stomped around looking for us, and finally walked away.

"Hoo-ey! You boys sure know how to rustle up a good fight!"

Peering up into the grinning freckled face of the cowgirl, I grinned appreciatively and replied, "It's nothing!"

Holding out her hand to help me back on my feet she continued, "That sure was mighty impressive! No one's been able to stop shakin' in their boots long enough to go up against that varmint ever since it got here."

"Glad we could help," Riku said, still with his hands on his knees.

Thrusting her hand into my chest she grinned and exclaimed loudly, "Well, pleased to make your acquaintances! The name's Jessie, and this here's Bullseye!"

Sharing her good-natured smile, I took hold of her small plastic hand and shook vigorously as I introduced the pair of us.

"Sora, Riku," she said with a nod as she hooked her thumb in her blue jeans. "I'd like to officially welcome you to Andy's Room! Normally we'd have a tour ready, but since that Heartless is keepin' patrol of the middle of the room…"

"How did that Heartless get here, anyway?" I asked curiously, peering out from under the drawer to where I'd last seen it.

"Shoot," she spat, kicking angrily at the ground with the heel of her boot. "It's all because of that awful Zurg!"

"Who's Zurg?" Riku asked.

Her eyes grew wide for a moment before she whistled and said, "You two really are new if you don't know who he is."

We merely shrugged and motioned for her to continue. After giving us one last dubious look she explained, "Andy's been wantin' the new Evil Emperor model for a while now, you see. And Andy's Mom bought him a couple of days ago as a surprise. He's the baddest toy in these parts; a no good schemer. All he's wanted since gettin' here is to take over the room! And the day Andy left to go on a campin' trip; Zurg used some new fangled powers to rustle up that Heartless. We've been stuck on this side of the room ever since."

"Okay…so where's this Zurg guy now?" I asked eagerly.

"Molly came in yesterday and carried him off."

"Who's Molly?"

"Andy's little sister!" the cowgirl gushed lovingly.

Alright, so Riku and I are toys that can talk, in an oversized little boy's room, in a house full of oversized people. This was awesome! Pulling at my tail (that I only just discovered) I turned to Riku and asked quizzically, "You think we can help them out?"

He merely answered with a shrug that said, 'Why not?' Jessie was ecstatic. Kicking her heels in the air she cried, "Yee-haw!"

Bullseye nudged me playfully with his soft felt nose, snorting in thanks as Jessie continued, "The others on this side are up on the shelves, follow us!"

After checking to see if the coast was clear, we all bolted out from under the desk, making a beeline for a bookshelf. Thankfully that Heartless didn't ambush us and we were able to scramble up quickly. From there, we braved climbing a stack of unsteady blocks to a set of shelves secured one on top of the other going up the wall. Higher we climbed. At one point, as Jessie was moving a few items around to give us a leg up, I looked out over the room and felt my jaw drop in amazement. It was surreal! Instead of mountains and valleys, there were beds and rugs. And all was illuminated in the soft orange glow of the setting sun.

This time of day always reminded me of Twilight Town, which made me think of Roxas, which made me think of…Faitouru. The way his red hair would look in the golden rays spilling from the soft clouds. Or, the way the freckles around his nose would scrunch up when he smiled. Biting my cheek, I told myself not to think about weird stuff like that. Not now at least. There wasn't time.

Finally, we emerged on the topmost shelf. A flurry of squeaks, beeps, and monkey calls greeted us. As Jessie ran forward to calm them down, I studied the new toys. A small rubber penguin was making the wheezy squeaking, a large computer looking thing made the beeps, and a bunch of small red plastic monkeys spilling out of a blue barrel were making the monkey sounds.

"We've got some new toys everyone! They're from…where did you two come from anyway?" she asked curiously.

"Ah n-nowhere, really!" I answered, blushing and scratching the back of my head nervously. "We uh…came in through the window…?"

They all stared as I continued to laugh in a panicky sort of way, until that is Jessie shrugged and continued, "They saved Bullseye and me and said they'd help out trying to make Andy's room safe again!"

She beckoned us forward as she announced, "Sora, Riku, I'd like you to meet Wheezy, Mr. Spell, and the Barrel of Monkeys!"

I grinned at each toy in turn before asking, "So do we have a plan?"

"Well, not exactly…" Jessie replied bashfully. "I was kinda hopin' you would have one."

I was blank. There was no way Riku and I could take care of that Heartless on our own, and I didn't think a broken penguin, a spelling toy without hands, or a barrel full of small monkeys would be much use. We'd need more if we were going to do this. Shuffling forward interrupting my thoughts, Mr. Spell said in his monotone robotic voice as the words flashed across his screen, "Woody would know what to do…"

"Is that your leader?" Riku asked.

"Yeah, but he's stuck on the other side with everyone else," Jessie answered, looking downtrodden.

Watching Mr. Spell, I could feel an idea itching at the back of my mind. But nothing came up until Jessie mentioned the other toys. Swinging Jessie around excitedly I asked, "Do you think they could see us if we tried to send a message?"

Blinking she responded slowly, "Sure, I guess so. But they have no way of talking back. Why?"

Glancing around at everyone conspiratorially, I turned back to the darkening room and replied, "Because I've got a plan…!"

~o~

The idea was to ambush the Heartless with the help from the other side of the room. We may not have enough over here, but combined we could make it work. If we could time it right, that is. Once the room was dark enough, we positioned Mr. Spell on the edge of the shelf and had him relay the plan to their leader Woody a couple of times to make sure he got it. Like Jessie said, they had no way of talking back, so all we could do was hope that in the morning they'd be ready with us. Now that we had the night to prepare and rest up, I took the opportunity to ask Jessie about Aqua and Fai.

"Sorry Sora, but the only new toys I've seen have been you and Riku." She said regretfully. "But maybe they're on the other side of the room?"

Now slightly disappointed, I nodded and trailed after Riku to an empty spot on the shelf and sat heavily. I could feel Riku trying to catch my eye, but I didn't want to talk. Maybe I was still a little upset about the whole keeping things from me ordeal. But the more I thought about that, the more I felt bad about feeling that way. One, because Riku was my best friend and he was only trying to spare me, and two, because it made me wonder if Fai thought he couldn't trust me, which only sent me into a further state of depression. Of course Fai trusted me. We'd shared things that only close friends could share.

Shaking my head, I muttered a small 'goodnight' to Riku, and curled up. Sleep didn't come easily, but when it did, I felt my subconscious get pulled in deep into the dream world.

~o~

_The comforting rush of sand under my feet made me sigh in contentment. It was always so peaceful here. Tilting my head up, I caught sight of the vast night sky with its thousands of twinkling stars. Gazing in awe at the general splendor, I almost didn't even hear the familiar voice behind me plead softly, "Remember…"_

_My heart fluttered as I hurriedly turned around. There, illuminated by the faint blue starlight was my younger self, and standing just beyond him was young Riku. Shaking my head, I replied imploringly, "What are you talking about?"_

_"You have to remember," he urged. "Or you won't be able to bring him back!"_

_"But what does that mean?" I asked. "Who am I supposed to bring back?"_

_His large blue eyes shimmered as tears threatened to fall. Taking a step towards me he whispered, "Find the connection…"_

_And with that, I was reduced to nonexistence once again. He gazed through me like I was made of air. My younger self turned once again to Riku and began talking like nothing had happened. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hear what they were saying. I watched in confusion as Riku beckoned to someone standing just past the tree line. My eyes followed the direction they were pointing in. Standing in the shadows was the small silhouette of another child. Why did this seem so familiar?_

_Could this be…a memory?_

_I had to find out who was back there. Reaching out my own hand, I saw a pair of eyes flash in the shadows, locking onto me. Heart stuttering mid beat, I held my breath in anticipation. In my head, I pleaded for them to step into the light. When it seemed like they wouldn't though, I offered up my own comforting pleas in unison with my younger self. _

_"It's alright, you can come out…" I called. "There's nothing to be scared of."  
>"It's alright, you can come out…" he called. "There's nothing to be scared of."<em>

_Suddenly, I felt the ground beneath me shift. The dream was already slipping away again. Just like before, the island crumbled around me, disappearing into blinding white light. This couldn't be happening right now! Looking back, I could just see the person tentatively leaving the shelter of the trees to the beckoning of my younger self. Would I finally get to see their face?_

_Without warning, the ground fell away beneath my feet, casting me into the expanse of white. Still reaching as I plummeted, I could just make out the frightened pouting lip of a little kid. But then I was swallowed into the nothing. _

~o~

I woke with a start, my heart hammering away. When I realized where I was, I took in a shuddering breath, and told myself to get a grip. Clutching my chest I whispered, "It was only a dream…"

When I no longer felt like I was going to throw up, I stood shakily and silently made my way past a slumbering Riku to the far end of the shelf. Slinging my legs over the edge, I looked down. From here I could see everything, even the window I'd first appeared in front of. It was nearly morning; the early light was just starting to lighten everything from a dark blue to a pale grey. Staying there, I tried working out what I'd just seen.

That couldn't have been a real memory. My subconscious was merely pulling whatever it could in to confusing me. It was easily explained by the fact that I was looking for someone, and I'd just learned that Faitouru had believed that memories of his own were coming to him in dreams.

The sound of Riku's clunking plastic armor alerted me to his presence before coming to my side. Also looking out he asked softly, "You okay…?"

He was so perceptive. I've woken up dozens of times with something on my mind, and each time, he'd always somehow known. No matter how hard I tried, there was no way I could be mad at him. All he ever wanted was to keep me safe and happy. I couldn't blame him or Faitouru for that.

Stretching my arms over my head I replied through a yawn, "Yeah, just getting ready for the fight…!"

"I see…" he mumbled, smiling softly as he caught sight of my glinting eyes. Together we watched the sun rise. The morning light intensified, filling the room with a sense of newness. And then Riku said, "Y'know Jessie was worried about you."

"Really?"

He nodded, meeting my gaze as he explained, "She asked if we'd been abandoned by our previous owners."

It was a little strange thinking of us actually belonging to someone. But then I thought of Fai. A vision of Aqua telling him to place the pair of us in a cardboard box on the side of the road next to the trash came to mind. It was silly, but it still made me sad.

"She told me that's what happened to her," Riku continued quietly. "But…you know what she said? She said that even though she thought she could never be happy again, she found friends in these toys. And they gave her a new home."

I sat with my head bowed, wondering why he was telling me this. Sitting shoulder to shoulder, he gazed down to the floor below and said, "I think she wanted us to know that no matter how hopeless the situation seems…there's always a way out. We'll find him, Sora."

By now, my whole body trembled with the effort of holding back my tears. I managed to ask thickly, "Why do you always seem to know exactly what to say?"

Patting my shoulder he replied, "I think of what you would say to me if I were in your shoes."

Wiping at my eyes with the back of my hand, I laughed. Standing, Riku held his hand out to me and said with an amused twinkle in his eye, "Let's go get rid of the Heartless."

"Right," I said, grinning broadly.

Our plan was put into motion. After transferring all the toys safely from the shelves to the floor – using a complex system of monkeys and teamwork – we hid under the desk and peered out across the empty floor. There was no sign of the other toys. Feeling slightly worried, I turned to Jessie and murmured, "When I say so, give the signal."

She nodded, determination flashing in her bright green eyes. Looking back at the other toys I asked quietly, "Ready?"

Everyone gave the okay. Turning once more to face the daunting open space that was the middle of the room, I called out my Keyblade. Riku quickly followed suit, readying Bullseye that he sat astride. Gripping my handle a little tighter I cried, "Charge!"

Everyone besides Mr. Spell – who stayed behind to continue chanting 'charge' – went sprinting out alongside me as Jessie began hollering and squeezing Wheezy. Hopefully the others would pick up on the signal to start the ambush. For a moment, I thought they weren't going to come out, but just as I was starting to think this was a horrible idea, half a dozen toys came darting out from under the bed all offering up their own war cries. Grinning I continued bounding on all fours to the center of the rug.

Once there, we all stood back to back, looking around confusedly for the Heartless. Jessie said it usually came out right away to chase down any toys that attempted venturing out. And then I heard it. Whirling around as it bellowed from the top of the desk, I braced myself. With a tremendous leap, the Heartless came crashing down in front of our group, sending some toppling over. Its jaws clicked open as it let out an ear-splitting roar, signaling the start to our struggle.

As planned, the other toys kept a safe distance while Riku and I went in for close combat. They were to wait until the beast sent projectiles at us, snatch them up, and stow them away. Either that, or wait for us to knock some off and hide them away. Hopefully that would put an end to the Heartless regenerating, affording us time to defeat it. After bobbing, weaving, and occasionally using my tail, the only thing that was left of the Heartless was the shadow underneath.

Just then, a cowboy, a space man, and a slinky dog all rushed up despite Riku and me calling for them to stay back, and used the coils of the slinky to trip up the giant creature. When it crashed to the floor, I shared a look with Riku and rushed in to deliver the final blows. As we watched the captured heart release into the air, I heard the cowboy say loudly from behind, "Thanks you two!"

Throwing my arm around Riku's shoulders I grinned openly. Trying to come out a little more humble, Riku said, "We couldn't have done it without your help."

Before anyone could say anything else, all the toys that had been in hiding came out cheering. For a moment we were all enveloped in the crowd. The cowboy called, tugging a brightly colored troll doll from his leg, "Alright everyone, settle down! We may have won this battle, but the war isn't over!"

"We still face the threat of Zurg!" the space man finished.

"If we want to make Andy's Room safe again, we'll need to prepare for another fight!" the cowboy cried to all gathered, pacing around the small circle that had formed around us. "Etch, draw up the plan! Sarge, ready your men around the perimeter! RC, go help Slinky and Rex set up a slingshot. Hamm, Mr. Potatohead, find anything and everything we can use as ammo! Come on toys, let's get a move on!"

I was taken aback by how strong of an enforcer the gangly cowboy was. There were no questions or arguments, everyone did as they were told, hurriedly scuttling about the room. When they'd dispersed, he walked over, tipped his hat towards us and said, "Thank you both again."

"You must be Woody," I said smiling.

"You got that right."

Glancing back to Jessie, who gave me an encouraging nod, I asked, "I was wondering if you'd seen a couple of toys around…"

I described Faitouru and Aqua and waited anxiously as he thought it over. But to my disappointment, he shook his head. Trying not to sound too down, I asked what we could do to help the toys set up for the assault against the Evil Emperor. Motioning for us to follow, Woody began striding towards the toys working diligently at their jobs.

"Zurg has powers over more of those creatures, so we can never break past his defenses." The space man who quickly introduced himself as Buzz began. "If you two can get close once we've provided you a break, we could defeat him."

I glanced over to the drawing on the etch-a-sketch that we were passing and studied their proposal. Nudging Riku, I exchanged looks before exclaiming, "You can count on us!"

Suddenly, a small voice hissed out from near the door, "We've got an incoming! Number two, I repeat, number two! Positions…!"

"What?" I wondered aloud, watching bemused as toys began scrambling around haphazardly.

"Andy's little sister's coming!" Jessie answered, pushing at my back. "We gotta be back where they left us!"

Realizing that I'd need to hide, I hurried along, diving with Riku under the bed just as the door started swinging in. Unable to resist, I peered out from the shadows and caught sight of a little girl that was easily four times my size. Gaping, I watched as she tottered into the center of the room giggling cutely. She paused, the sound of her teeth gnawing on something echoing from where she stood. Suddenly she dropped what she was holding. The toy fell like a rock onto the rug, thumping loudly. My stomach jumped to my throat as a pair of sinister yellow eyes bore directly into my own. It was seriously a menacing looking toy, and that only fit the description of one that I'd been hearing about for the past day: Emperor Zurg.

The toddler, having lost interest in her latest chew toy, crawled over to Mrs. Potatohead, and picked her up squealing with newfound delight. The vibrations of footfall soon followed, traveling from somewhere else in the house, until a woman nearly twenty times taller strode in. Reaching down, she plucked her daughter from the ground while chastising, "Molly, I told you not to go in your brother's room. He wouldn't want you messing with his toys while he's away."

They left, closing the door behind them, leaving the room utterly silent in their wake. Tentatively, I crawled out from under the bed, keeping my gaze fixed on the motionless Zurg. All around me, I could see petrified toys poking their heads out to watch anxiously as I drew nearer.

"Don't get too close," Riku cautioned quietly from behind me.

Almost as an answer, the Emperor twitched, lights suddenly blazing on. Jumping back, I called out my Keyblade and got in a defensive stance. Pushing himself up, we watched as he turned and fixed us with his piercing gaze. As the powers of Darkness grew in intensity around him, he raised a clawed hand and cried ominously, "Surrender Buzz Lightyear!"

As dozens of Heartless rose from the Darkness spreading from the Evil Emperor, Buzz called back, "Never!"

A toy block came careening over our heads, obliterating a long line of Heartless as it bounced across the wood floor. Zurg let out a cry of rage, signaling to every one of the toys to get to battle stations. We worked tirelessly on ground zero, beating off Heartless as we waited for our opportune moment. Projectiles struck true, but more of the little monsters took the place of their fallen comrades before we had a chance to slip in. Finally, one colorful block sent the Emperor toppling over.

"Noooo! He cried, flailing his arms wildly.

Without wasting any time, we busted through to where our enemy lay. Turning, I held off the Heartless while Riku went head first into a one on one battle. Over my shoulder I heard the Emperor call, "It is impossible! Lightyear's Galactic Alliance wasn't nearly this powerful before!"

This toy's crazy, I thought to myself as I blocked a swipe of claws. It's like he thinks he's really in outer space fighting his mortal enemy Buzz.

"Duck!" came a shriek from somewhere high above. I managed to get out of the way of an enormous bouncy ball just in time. Zurg wasn't as lucky. It was all over in a matter of seconds. The only thing left of the Emperor was a silver horn that had broken off on impact.

All the toys burst out from cover, cheering and jumping for joy. Riku, Woody, Buzz, a large green dinosaur (that let the ball loose), and I were all hauled into the air and paraded around Andy's room in celebration. As we passed the end of the bed, I felt the familiar tingling sensation of my Keyblade sensing something. Riku too felt it, and we were both deposited in front of an enormous toy chest. Our Keyblades flashed into our hands and pointed themselves at the keyhole, a string of light shooting from the tips. Andy's room was once again safe.

"So, are you boys ready to meet Andy tomorrow?" Jessie asked happily from behind us.

I didn't want to be the one to tell her that we didn't plan on staying that long. We had our friend to find after all. Unable to form the right words, Riku stepped up and said, "It'd be nice to stay and meet your owner, but we need to keep searching for someone…"

"I figured you'd say something like that." She muttered, only looking slightly disappointed. "And I understand. But I think you need to at least see the boy we love – that _you_ saved. It'd mean a lot."

Reluctantly, Riku and I agreed, but only because I was still hoping Aqua and Faitouru would show up. It was surprising that they hadn't yet. And admittedly I was pretty wiped out after a long day of fighting for the liberation of the toys. We spent the rest of the day celebrating, and listening to the others telling stories about the adventures Andy imagined for them. My eyes were starting to droop, so I excused myself and scrambled up onto the desk, far away from the loud group. Propping myself against a stack of books, I folded my arms over my chest and gazed out at the sunset with heavily lidded eyes.


	40. The Dream, Merlin's Grotto

~o~

_The light didn't change from when I closed my eyes to when I opened them again; a warm comforting gold imbued with oranges and deep reds shone down on me. It warmed my skin as I sat with my legs dangling over the side of the clock tower. Twilight Town was what I would call a sleepy town, but more than that, it was magical. Everything felt right here. My heart beat contently as I looked out over the rooftops to the perpetually setting sun. _

_"I don't remember being up here before…" I mumbled drowsily to myself, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath of air. Not that I minded, I just wondered if this was what it really was like up here. _

_"That's because it's not _your_ memory exactly."_

_Choking in surprise, my eyes shot open as I looked wildly over at the person sitting next to me. My jaw dropped as cool blue eyes nearly identical to my own looked back at me smiling softly. It was Roxas. _

_Offering up a sea salt ice cream, he motioned for me to take it. Numbly, I took the treat and asked, "H-How can you…?"_

_Cutting in smoothly he said, "I'm here to help you remember."_

_"What?" I asked in disbelief, watching as he took a bite out of his own ice cream._

_"You're too thickheaded to figure it out on your own," he replied easily. "Even _you_ think so, otherwise I wouldn't be here."_

_Chuckling at his own joke, he thumped me on the shoulder – which felt incredibly real – and said, "Lighten up! You can't be mad at _yourself_!"_

_"Alright then, what am I supposed to be remembering exactly?!" I asked in a huff._

_Shaking his head of sandy blonde spikes like he was trying to explain something to a particularly dense child, he answered cryptically, "I can't tell you, that'd defeat the whole purpose."_

_"But if you're supposed to be a part of me, then why don't I already know?!"_

_I was starting to get fed up with all these riddles. Glaring, I waited for my Nobodie to answer. Finally he said, "You do know."_

_Throwing my hands in the air out of frustration, I concentrated on the changing sunset, waiting for my head to clear. Rubbing the tense spot between my brows I sighed, "Alright…can you at least give me a hint?"_

_Smirking, he stood and muttered, "Sure…"_

_Taking up my hand, he yanked me to my feet and began tugging me after him, straight off the station clock tower and into thin air. I was just about ready to have a freak out, when the sun's rays blinded me for a moment. When the white spots finally cleared from my vision, I saw to my great surprise that I was staring over at Faitouru and me sitting on the bottom bunk bed of our first Gummi ship talking animatedly. I remembered this! It was right after visiting Agrabah. _

_Glancing confused over at Roxas leaning against the wall opposite me, I asked, "Why are you showing me this?"_

_He only answered with a rueful smile that said, 'You've got to figure it out on your own.'_

_Huffing, I turned once again to face my memory. We'd been talking about me growing up on the islands with Riku and Kairi. I remember being surprised and excited by the fact that he wasn't telling me to shut up. And then I'd asked him about where he'd grown up. But what did that have to do with anything?_

_"Come on, Sora. It's literally right in front of you!" Roxas urged._

_Drawing my brows together in concentration, I stared hard at the pair of us laughing. This had been the first time we'd really bonded, the first time I felt like our hearts really understood each other. Before that, he'd been so stand-off-ish, and I felt like there was a wall keeping us separated. Shaking my head, I closed my eyes and recalled how upset I'd been when I first tried to talk with him outside of Merlin's house in Travers Town. Opening my eyes, I saw that the memory had changed. I was looking at Fai glaring down at me fiercely in the grotto._

_Suddenly my eyes widened as realization swept over me. Back then, I'd looked at him and asked, "Hey…are you sure we haven't met before…?" At the time, it hadn't meant much because I wasn't sure why I did it, but now…now it made perfectly horrible sense. Tears welled up and began coursing down my cheeks as memories I never knew I even had came back to me. I no longer thought that it was some sort of trick. Faitouru _had_ grown up with Riku and I for a short while, and then he was gone…taken. _

_I remembered us as innocent kids playing on the beach. I remembered him being afraid of shooting stars. I remembered when he went missing. I remembered Kairi, and forgetting he had ever been there before her. I could even remember…that summer when he and Roxas had been together; when _we_ had been together. Those were my memories, because we were the same person from the same heart. _

_My knees hit the ground painfully as I watched the vision before me change to Fai and I sitting on top of the clock tower in Neverland, both gazing up at the moon hanging overhead. This whole time…we'd been connected and I didn't know. Kneeling next to me, Roxas placed a hand on my back and mumbled, "I'm sorry…"_

_I was too. I'd let down a friend more terribly than I could have ever imagined. Wiping at my eyes, I asked my Nobodie, "What does this change? Aqua still has him! How does this help me?"_

_"You have a gift, you know," he replied softly, gazing sadly over at our Protector. "Your heart has the ability to remember even if you can't. This helps more than you think."_

_I felt my heart flutter in my chest as I watched Roxas' expression change subtly. It was like looking at Fai made him feel complete; put the world right. Instantly I thought of the World That Never Was. He'd kissed Faitouru back then. Blushing furiously, I realized that in a way, that had been me and I could feel exactly what it was like. One of his memories flooded into my mind, changing the scenery once again. But it was different. Instead of looking at Faitouru like a spectator, I was there; immersed in the memory. _

_Both of us were sitting in a bedroom that I knew was Roxas'. It felt like my heart was trying to burst from my chest it was racing so fast. I was worried. Really worried that Fai was going to turn into someone that didn't recognize me; didn't care for me. Trying not to sound scared, I asked softly, "You wanna talk…?"_

_That wasn't my voice. It was Roxas'! I was living through a memory of his from that summer. Not meeting my gaze, Fai shook his head lifelessly. Unable to hide my fear any longer I burst, "Please just…say something."_

_Almost like he hadn't realized I was there, he looked over at me quizzically as I nervously twisted the edge of my pillowcase in my hands. _

_"I…I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here. If you f-forgot me…" I confessed, my voice dying out as it cracked pitifully._

_His eyes widened, but still he didn't say anything. Did he even know who I was anymore?! My hand shot out without thinking, snatching his up from the blanket. Gazing into his eyes intensely I continued, "We've been friends for so long…I'd never forgive you for leaving me alone…"_

_And at that, it was like something snapped back into place inside him. His lightly freckled cheeks turning a slight pink as he breathed, "R-Roxas…"_

_I didn't let him finish. Pulling him into my arms, I felt relief pour into every corner of my being. His free hand clutched at the back of my shirt in a vice like grip as he mumbled into my shoulder, "I'm sorry for-"_

_Not really thinking anymore, I let my body take control. At first, I was lost in the incredible feeling of pressing my lips against his, something that I'd wanted to do for such a long time. But then I noticed how tense Fai was against me and realized what had just happened. I sprang away, stuttering out an apology as I struggled to find some sort of excuse for my impulse. _

_To my surprise though, I didn't receive a punch to the face or any sort of bodily harm, instead I snuck a glance and saw that he was merely running his fingers over his lips in complete shock. Finally he asked squeakily, "Wh-why'd you do that…?"_

_He wanted to know why? Shouldn't he be telling me he hated me and never wanted to see me again? My face burnt with the intensity of my blush as I answered simply, "That's because…I like you."_

_As soon as those words passed my lips, the memory froze. I knew what happened next. Pulling away, I blinked and found myself sitting next to Roxas on the station clock tower in Twilight Town once again. Now mentally exhausted, I buried my head in my hands and whispered thickly, "I'm so confused…"_

_"I know," Roxas replied gently. "But you'll figure it out."_

_We sat there, watching the sunset in silence as I processed what was being shown to me. Until that is, Roxas stood and walked into thin air once again, turning to look at me with an air of utter seriousness about him. _

_"You're not done remembering," he called, the scenery changing (hopefully for the last time). "There's still one more piece."_

_What else could there be?!_

_Clearly he wasn't going to be offering up any more hints, so I waited until I found myself looking over at the memory of sitting on the bunk beds. There was something I was missing from here? But what? What was it that I'd noticed about talking with him that made this so special? Screwing my eyes shut, I thought back to what we'd been talking about. _

_Opening up to me without any sort of an argument had made me shut my mouth and listen. He'd started from the beginning, telling me about when Merlin had shown up in the middle of Junction starting his whole journey. I'd laughed when he'd told me how wierded out he was by Merlin giving him a book free of charge. Everything after that, I'd already gone over and over. So what did that mean?_

_Letting my eyes open once again, I didn't bother asking Roxas, already knowing what his answer would be. Did it have something to do with leaving Junction? No. Was it the fact that he'd met Merlin? No. Could it be…?_

_How could I have been so stupid?! My head snapped up and my gaze was met by my Nobodie's. He was grinning proudly over at me. And as my dream quickly began to crumble away he called faintly, "I knew you'd figure it out…"_

~O~

Shooting up from my position like a cork, I scrambled down the desk and raced across the floor of Andy's now dark room, scanning for Riku as I went. I found him sleeping comfortably against the toy chest. Barreling into him mercilessly I screeched, "Riku, wake up!"

His fists dug into my stuffing in answer, which felt a little strange, but I didn't let up. Finally after opening his eyes and realizing it was me, he asked incredulously, "What's wrong?!"

Pulling at him desperately I pleaded, "I'm sorry, but we need to leave, _now_!"

Jerking his wrist from my grasp he muttered grumpily, "There'd better be a good reason for –"

"I know where they're going next!" I interrupted, already dashing away.

Finding Jessie, Woody, and Buzz, I shook them awake explaining that we wouldn't be able to meet Andy just yet. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes Jessie asked slowly, "Is it about the other toys you're lookin' for?"

Nodding, I watched as she offered up a smile and gathered me into a hug. Patting me gently on the back she said, "Go get 'em…!"

Pulling away, I returned her smile and waved as I quickly bounded to the edge of the bed. Calling back over my shoulder in a whisper-shout I said, "Don't worry, we'll come back and meet Andy some day!"

When we'd finally piled into the Gummi ship, I shot around the main cabin, getting everything logged in for our destination. Sounding more than irritated, Riku caught my elbow and asked, "Sora, will you _please_ just tell me what's going on?!"

"I remembered!" I cried, gripping his shoulders excitedly. "I found the connection! We can save him!"

Riku's eyes widened. Peering over my shoulder, he saw our coordinates and asked curiously, "Why would they go to Travers Town? There's no sign of any abnormal Heartless activity."

"I know," I replied with a triumphant smirk. "But that's where people go when they have nowhere else, right?"

He looked a little shocked by my logic before shaking his head and muttering, "Sometimes you really surprise me…"

Laughing, I replied, "Sometimes I surprise myself."

Pressing a few more buttons, I stepped back and attempted gathering my scattered thoughts. All I needed was to find Faitouru and tell him that I remembered, and then he would come home, right? Or at least that's what I thought my dreams had meant. Clenching my hands into fists, I turned to look out at the Worlds rushing by, willing us to go faster.

~o~

Travers Town looked exactly like it did when I left it. Glancing around the courtyard, I took in the calm wind gently blowing through. They had to be here, I could feel it. Deciding to go with the crazy, I let my heart guide my feet. It worked for me most of the time. Keeping my Keyblade at the ready, I set out into the empty streets with Riku on my heels.

Everywhere we went, I could feel Faitouru. It was like he was constantly disappearing around the next corner. Finally, when I thought I was going to explode from frustration, I saw the red door leading into the grotto that Merlin had used as his temporary home. Why didn't I think of it before?! Sending a fire spell ahead of me, I sprinted to the door and rammed my shoulder into it, not bothering to wait for the flames to die down. It burst open, the sound of splintering wood accompanying it. As I skidded to a stop, I saw the two people I'd been searching for, standing on the empty island in the center of the cavern.

Aqua looked completely taken aback by our showing up. Hurriedly, once the situation sunk in, she called up a Dark Corridor and ushered Fai towards it. For a terrifying second, I thought this whole thing had been pointless. But then I saw that he hadn't budged. I'd seen him act like that before. When we were at Beast's Castle, I remember him not moving an inch while we watched Belle and the Beast waltz. And afterward he'd been completely drained of energy. He'd said it was nothing back then, but seeing that it was still happening, I realized that something was wrong. But despite that, I couldn't waste this opportunity worrying about if he was in pain or not. Aqua seemed to read my mind, and sprang out onto the slowly moving rocks to meet me.

"I'll try and distract her long enough for you to get to Fai." Riku muttered behind me. I nodded in silent thanks before sprinting headlong into the fight.

We met, Keyblades sparking as they made contact. Her eyes met mine, and once again I saw that desperate sadness in them. She pressed against me, trying to overpower me. Gritting my teeth, I felt my heel slip closer to the edge of the rock. Calling down a quick blast of thunder magic, I sprang out of the way, nearly missing the next rock back and falling into the water. I went at her again, trying not to hit Riku by mistake as they battled. This time though, I made the mistake of leaving my midriff wide open. Blocking Riku and shoving him to the ground with her free hand, she swung back at me. I cried out as stabbing pains ran from my ribs up to throb in my head. My back slapped into the water, knocking the rest of the wind out of me.

Ignoring the sensation of pins and needles, I realized I had an advantage being submerged in dark water. She wouldn't be able to see me make a break for the island to where Fai was! Swimming as fast as I could, I emerged from the depths with a loud gasping inhale. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Aqua trying to get past Riku who was putting up a good fight. Not wanting to waste any time, I dug my fingers into the mud as leverage and clambered out.

Completely drenched, I ran to Fai and stopped in front of him and said breathlessly, "I'm…here…!"

He didn't answer. I tried peering at his expression, but couldn't see through the shadow of his hood. Reaching out, I pushed it back and gasped. Over his eyes, a black blindfold had been secured; similar to the one Riku had worn back in The World That Never Was. And from the look on his face...he was in excruciating pain.

"What happened to you…?" I asked, my hand resting against his cheek, leaving a muddy print.

"S–" he burst, his body jerking violently with the effort of speaking. "So–…R-Ra–"

It felt like I'd drifted out of my body, allowing happiness to fill it up instead. That was the first time I'd heard him speak in so long. Not only that, but it'd been my name. A tear escaped down my cheek as I gazed down at my best friend, stroking his skin with my thumb and smiling.

Before I even knew what was happening, I felt a hand wrench me back, and a hard piece of metal sink into my lower ribs, sending me careening to the other side of the small island. Crashing to the ground in a heap, I felt small rocks dig into my skin embedding there, making me wince. I nearly tumbled off the side, but managed to grab hold of a fistful of dry grass before I did. Wheezing, I looked back at Faitouru.

Aqua, panic in her eyes, was struggling to get Fai's non-cooperative legs moving in the direction of the Dark Corridor. As I grit my teeth and attempted clawing my way back up the slope, I wished with all the strength left in my body that they wouldn't get away. Now openly tugging at him, I saw something tumble to the ground with a heavy thud. When I looked back up, I saw Aqua now torn between dragging Fai the rest of the way to the corridor, and taking the time to get what looked to be a leather-bound book. There was no way she could do both without me getting to them first.

Crying out angrily, she grabbed Faitouru and pushed him in. My fingertips grazed the smoke like tendrils of the Dark Corridor just as it closed behind them. Collapsing where they had just been, I beat my fist against the earth, screaming, "Damn it!"

There hadn't been any time for me to tell him that I remembered, or that I was so incredibly sorry for letting him down. From behind me, Riku hauled himself out of the water. Stomping over to where I knelt, he sat by my side and said slightly out of breath, "I couldn't hold her back any longer. I'm sorry…"

Glancing up at him, I noticed the large gash just above his brow. Hanging my head I muttered, "You tried your best…"

Sitting back on my heels, I used my magic to heal his wound, and turned my gaze on the one thing I did manage to get from this ordeal. Catching it with the tips of my fingers, I drug the book closer. By now Riku had realized that despite their getting away, we did have some sort of clue. Picking it up, I turned it over to the cover and saw an emblem that I immediately recognized. The thick brown leather binding emblazoned with a heart wrapped around thin, old, yellow pages could only mean that this was the book Merlin had given Faitouru back in Junction.

Now feeling my heart pumping my blood through my veins, I hurriedly turned to the opening page and saw the title beaming up at me like a beacon; 'The Protector'. This was it! This book would definitely have all the answers! But I was quickly cast back down into disappointment when I flipped through more of the pages. The words inside were in a dialect that I couldn't understand. Was this a different book? Fai had told me that he'd been able to read it easily when he'd had it.

"What is that?" Riku asked, finally gathering his bearings.

Tugging a couple potions out, I handed one to him, along with the book and replied, "I'm not sure. I thought it was about the Protector, but…"

Glancing down at the gibberish on the page he studied the lines as I explained how I knew about it, and how Fai had lost it. Motioning to the faded text he asked, "How did he get this back, then? If he lost it in Junction when the Heartless attacked, who gave it back later?"

"Well…Merlin gave it to him then, maybe it somehow made its way back to him."

"Yeah, or Aqua could have found it and kept it on her so she could know who she was kidnapping." Riku muttered, shutting the book with a snap.

He made a good point. Taking the book again I wondered, "But how could she have known Fai would have this thing at all? Unless…"

"Unless she was the one to give it to Merlin in the first place," Riku finished darkly.

Shaking my head I asked, "Why would she do that though? She was giving him the answers to his life!"

"You said that Fai never finished it," Riku answered. "He kept being pulled back into those weird dreams."

Rubbing at my now throbbing temples I said, "Well, I think we need to pay Merlin a visit to start. We need his side of the story."

"Alright, let's go." Riku agreed, slowly getting to his feet and then offering me a hand up.

After limping back through Travers Town, we boarded the Gummi and set a direct course for Radiant Garden. While I sat and waited, I ran through everything in my mind once again, which of course didn't help, but what else was I supposed to do?

"I think we should tell the King and Master Yen Sid about this!" Riku called from the bed in the back.

"Do you think they'll know how to read the book?" I asked.

"Let's hope."

Striding over to the communicator I waited for the message to connect. Riku emerged and stood next to me, offering up an encouraging smile. When the King's oversized black ears emerged from the static, I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Well, hey fellas!" Mickey called happily, adjusting the screen so it angled down to capture his face. "How's the search goin'?"

As an answer I held up the small book and explained what I suspected it was.

"We're on our way to ask Merlin about it now," Riku finished.

The King studied the book for a moment before shaking his head and saying, "I've never seen that before."

My jaw clenched as I attempted keeping my cool. Noticing the look on my face, he continued, "Wait for us in Radiant Garden. Don't try chasing after Faitouru and Aqua without us! She's powerful, and that means dangerous!"

"I don't want to sound pushy Your Majesty, but…please hurry." I replied all airs of seriousness about me.

With a final nod, the transmission cut, leaving Riku and me gazing at each other worriedly. Putting a hand on my shoulder he offered comfortingly, "I'm sure Merlin will be able to tell us what's in there."

Trying to stay positive, I nodded, and spent the rest of the waiting period pacing anxiously around the cabin.

~O~


	41. Radiant Garden, Junction

a/n: Sorry this took so bloody long. Life happened, and I was a bit depressed by that lol. Anyways, I love you all! Please enjoy yourselves!

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><p>~O~<p>

The sky was overcast when we set foot in town, mirroring my mood. Glancing up at it, I hoped silently that it would turn to sunshine soon, and headed off toward the Restorative Team's base camp. With Riku on my heels, we wound through the cobblestone streets at a jog, eager to start questioning Merlin.

Opening the door with a loud bang, I strode in, eyes darting from one startled face to the next until I spotted who I was looking for. Careful not to let myself get too carried away with my emotions, I restrained from throwing the old man against the nearest wall, and instead halted a few feet from him. Ignoring the confused looks everyone was giving me, I asked harshly, "Why didn't you tell us you'd seen Aqua?"

All at once, the place turned into a madhouse as everyone tried making sense of what I'd just thrown out. Merlin merely spluttered, completely taken aback by my accusation. Riku giving me a look that said 'way to go', stepped forward hands held up in surrender and clarified, "We found the book you gave Faitouru…Aqua gave it to you to pass on to him, right?"

"Wha–No!" Merlin spluttered, nervous sweat dripping from his brow. "I gave that to Faitouru on the King's orders!"

"Nice try, but no." I countered. "The King told us he'd never seen it before. And no one else except Aqua seems to know what it is. So…I'll ask again, how come you didn't tell us you'd seen her."

Seeing Merlin trembling under his sky blue robes sent guilt stabbing into my chest, but I needed to stay strong if I wanted to get any closer to finding Fai. Thrusting the book in his direction, I crossed my arms and set my face into a glare. With shaking hands, he took it from me but answered, "I swear, I've never seen her before! This came to me with a note from the King!"

I could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth. Dropping my act, I let my shoulders slump in defeat. Seeing that he wasn't going to be persecuted any longer, Merlin continued, "I did not think the book's arrival was odd, because it came shortly after the King visited telling us to look out for the Keyblade Wielder and the Protector."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make sense now that we know Mickey's never seen it before." Leon called over, rubbing his drawn face.

Nodding to the book Riku said, "What we really wanted to know was if you could read it. It's in some sort of foreign language."

Curiously Merlin opened the cover and peered down at the first page for a lengthy amount of time. I peered around the room at the others all waiting on bated breath for him to speak. Finally when I couldn't stand the suspense any longer, he cleared his throat and mumbled, "Not all of it. There appears to be a great deal of magic obscuring the text from those that weren't meant to read it."

"But what _can_ you see?" Aerith pressed, her hands wringing fretfully.

"It seems to be telling the legend and ways of the Protector," he answered, flipping through the pages. "Yes, here it's talking about the need for a bond with a Keyblade Wielder in order to use their powers."

"You mean when he looked into my eyes?" I wondered, remembering the many times it had occurred.

"…or any Keyblade Wielder's eyes."

That meant he could bond with Riku. A light bulb clicked on at that thought. I recalled when Fai had been under Riku's influence after he'd taken the Keyblade from me. Back then he'd listened to every single one of Riku's commands; I'd figured it was the powers of Darkness manipulating him. And if that was the case, then he could bond with Aqua! That was why he listened to her and didn't try getting away. She must have ordered him not to. That also explained why he was wearing the blindfold. She must have had him put that on as a precaution so he couldn't bond with either Riku or me and make an escape!

Wrinkling my brow, I thought of something that didn't make sense. Scratching at my head in confusion I asked, "Fai told me when Junction was attacked by Heartless for the first time he was able to use his Keyblade. If he needs someone to bond with before he can unlock his power, then…who was the Keyblade Wielder that bonded with him?"

That stumped everyone.

"Maybe the book has some kind of special…awakening powers?" Yuffie offered unsurely.

"No, as far as I can tell, this is merely an instruction book…of…sorts…" Merlin answered, the last of his sentence dying in his throat as he flipped to the last few pages.

"Did you find something?!" the familiar voice of the King called over from the doorway. I hadn't even heard him come in.

Flanking both his sides were Donald, Goofy, Axel, and Kairi. He had brought a small army with him to help get our friend back. Striding past the others to Merlin, he gestured for the wizard to continue. Gulping, Merlin nodded and hurriedly rushed over to a nearby table and placed the book on it. We all crowded around reading over his shoulder what appeared to be hand written journal entries.

~o~

_I miss you every day. It was my fault. If only I'd stayed by your side like all the other times. Hana…I wasn't even there when your heart was taken. And for that, I will always hate myself. I should have known better. That man betrayed us. When I found you lying on the ground cold and alone, I wept, for so long._

_I still am._

~o~

_The book said that I'd feel its power drawing me in, but I didn't think it was true until nearly a year after you – my Keyblade Master – had been taken; I was frozen by its hold over me. I know that I won't be able to fight its call for too long. But I have to find out what Xehanort is planning. I have to so your death can mean something._

~o~

_He's betrayed so many in his quest for power. What does he hope to achieve by meddling in so many innocent lives? In any case, I will keep watch over the boy called Ventus who miraculously didn't fall into the Darkness when his heart was broken, and the two other Keyblade Wielders, Terra and Aqua under Eraqus' guidance. You know one of them._

_Kingdom Hearts still calls me. I grow weaker every day._

~o~

_It has happened again. Those poor children…I did not want this for them. Terra has been lost, Ventus is now but a mere shell empty of a heart, and Aqua…has sacrificed herself to the Dark Realm in order to save Ventus from Xehanort's plan. She, using her newfound Keyblade Master Powers, transformed her home into something that even I am not aware of. Hopefully his heart can heal itself in time, but I fear the worst. I search every day for her as far as I can go, but soon I will not have the strength._

~o~

_There is no hope of finding Aqua. I have stolen knowledge on how to create a copy of her from the scientists that have taken Xehanort in. This double will have to carry out what I have planned. The new Protector, who must be four or five now, I shall keep from the worlds. I realized that that was where I failed you, Hana. You and I grew too close. So he shall be kept away until the call of Kingdom Hearts wills it. And I know that goes against everything a Protector is, but…I can't let my mistake become his._

_The doll is very unlike her real counterpart. She has a dark heart, which was not my intention, but cannot be changed now._

_Please, Kingdom Hearts, watch over them when I have gone to greet you._

~o~

_I have the boy that has inherited the powers of the Protector. My Aqua creation traveled to the Islands where he resided and took him through the Dark Corridor back to where I waited in Travers Town. She does not speak much to me. She is only a replica, but…she is the mirror image of her model. I can't help but think as I look at her that I could have saved the people she cared about, and I didn't. I have no excuses._

_He is still only a child – my successor – such an innocent thing. But I can recognize the great power in him. She knows not to look directly into his eyes for fear of exposing him to the draining powers of the Darkness. She may be a mere shadow, but the connection is still just as potent. He is not hers to bond with. It saddens her, but I know not giving her the whole truth of who she is, is the right thing to do._

_Hana…you would be so proud. She looks so much like you._

~o~

_I have taken the boy and the replica to a world that is passed over often by the eyes of Darkness and Light both. It is a world in the forgotten place; Junction. It cannot be found unless you already know where it is. Hopefully he will keep future Keyblade Wielders safe by never setting eyes on them. And yet…I wonder if I do the right thing. But what choice do I have? There is no more time left. And the grand scheme Xehanort has planned, I cannot see. I can feel it in my heart that my life is through. Kingdom Hearts tells me my part…is done. I must leave it in the hands of the ones that can put all the pieces back together again._

~o~

_Today is the day I repay my debt to Kingdom Hearts. Today it ends. No more pain or sadness. I can put a part of all the worlds to right again. When I step in, I can be at peace knowing I did what the heart of all the worlds wanted me to do._

_As I stand before the Doors to Kingdom Hearts, my replica, who has taken me into the Dark Realm, watches on silently. It is too much for me to comfort her. Not when I know that she isn't who she thinks she is. My replica…I am truly sorry._

_Faitouru, when you read this: know that it's part of your destiny as the Protector. Don't be scared of what will happen to you if the heart of the worlds takes you back. Kingdom Hearts cares, in a way, for us. I want to tell you that I'm not sorry that I took you away from your home. It is what will ultimately keep your childhood friends safe. I only wish I could be there to guide you through the dark._

_Aqua: find your way out of the Darkness soon. Know that your mother Hana loved you, and gave you the great gift of the Keyblade. I wish every day that I could have made things different for you. But I am proud to say that you take more after her than you do me. She was a beautiful woman. I hope that you can continue her legacy in ridding the world of Darkness and keeping Kingdom Hearts safe from it._

_Good luck. I go now to fulfill my Destiny._

~o~

"No way…" I breathed, staggering back. "Aqua isn't really even Aqua, _and_ she's Fai's mom?!"

"That's pretty messed up," Axel commented, whistling in awe.

"And it was all because the previous Protector didn't want Faitouru to hurt another Keyblade Wielder?" Kairi asked faintly, her eyes welling up with tears. "That's so sad…"

"Is anyone else bothered by the fact that he was talking about Kingdom Hearts 'calling' to him?" Leon asked coolly, looking annoyed.

"He's right," Mickey said, now looking a bit worried. "If all Protectors are the same, then that means Fai must be feeling the effects of Kingdom Hearts drawing on his power."

"But why would that be happening to _him_? I mean, the previous Protector only had to go because the Keybearer he'd bonded with had her heart stolen, and I've never–" I started, but cut myself off when I realized that I did have my heart taken. _I'd_ been the one to give it up.

For a moment, I let that fact sink in, and then an intense wave of grief slammed into me causing tears to run and my knees to give out. Faitouru would have to sacrifice his life now because of me! Putting my head in my hands I wailed, "_I_ did this to him…!"

"You can't blame yourself, Sora!" Kairi cooed kneeling next to me and putting her arms around my shivering shoulders. "You didn't know!"

Her words meant nothing. If anything, I was mad that she wasn't feeling just as responsible as I was. It felt like my world was crumbling apart. I'd basically signed my best friend's death sentence. Unable to think of how to comfort me or pull me out of my misery, Riku turned to the King and asked, "Do you think that's why the replica Aqua took Fai in the first place? To make him fulfill his 'Destiny' as some sort of…ode to the man that made her?"

"I think so," Mickey replied gravely.

That instantly snapped me out of my crying fit. Wiping at my cheeks with the back of my hands I growled determinedly, "Then let's go stop her!"

I didn't care if I didn't know what would happen to the balance of the worlds if Faitouru didn't return to Kingdom Hearts. I wouldn't let him go without fighting with every last ounce of strength and resource I had left. Somehow I'd save him from Replica Aqua and his horrible situation that I put him in. No matter what! Pushing myself determinedly to my feet, I stared down all of my friends gathered challenging them to tell me it was impossible.

After sharing a silent look, Donald and Goofy stepped forward and cried, "Let's go!" and "Gawrsh Sora, we're with ya all the way!"

Smiling, I rushed forward and gathered the pair of them in a tight hug, thanking them silently. I felt a hand on my shoulder a moment later. Looking around I met Riku's twinkling eyes as he said, "Count me in."

"Well there's no way you're going without me!" Mickey added, bounding over and joining in on the embrace.

"We're going to get our friend back, no matter what!" Kairi said while nudging Axel in the ribs. "Right?"

"Yeah…" he answered, rubbing his side. "I could use some training in a real fight, anyway."

Unable to express how relieved I was just then, I merely let out a small laugh and muttered, "Thank you everyone…"

When I'd stood, Leon stepped up and said gruffly, "We can't leave Radiant Garden, so I expect you to bring him back to us, alright?"

His eyes bore into my own, telling me that he was putting all his faith and trust in my abilities since he couldn't abandon his world to the Heartless that still plagued them. As we looked at each other, I silently gave him my word.

"Uh, problem…" Axel called over sarcastically. "How are we supposed to find a place that no one is able to find unless they've already been there?"

That, I had already figured out. Grinning I replied, "Easy, we start in the place you go when you have nowhere else, and follow the trail from there!"

"Huh?!" everyone asked in unison.

~o~

After bidding the Radiant Garden gang a quick goodbye, I explained as we headed through the town to our Gummi ships, that we needed to go back to Travers Town to the grotto where Merlin's house used to be. Back when he'd gotten the book, he'd followed the link using the note replica Aqua had given him (that he didn't have any more) and created his own link to and from that world. I realized that that was what Fai and the replica Aqua had been doing there when Riku and I discovered them before. They needed to find a way back to Junction, and since they'd lost their way, they recovered Merlin's link.

Shaking his head, Axel muttered, "You sure are something, kid."

I merely flashed him a toothy grin before disappearing into the Gummi Riku and I shared. We were going to be convening in the grotto on the little island there as soon as possible. After punching in the coordinates, I set about stocking myself up with healing supplies. I could almost hear Fai in my head lecturing me on not skimping because I didn't want to have to carry a lot. Clutching an elixir to my chest as I gazed out the window, I said thinking of him, "Don't worry, I'm going to bring you back."

Sprinting through the first and second districts, dispatching a few Heartless along the way, I wasted no time in getting to the grotto. The others hadn't gotten there yet, but I didn't get too impatient before they arrived. When we all stood on the small island, I stopped short and asked, "How are we going to follow the connection? None of us can make a Dark Corridor."

At that, we were all stumped. That is until Axel sighed exasperatedly and said, "We've got Keyblades, so why don't we use them!"

"Right," I replied determinedly, calling out my Keyblade in a familiar flash of bright white.

The others – excluding Donald and Goofy – called out their own and stood at the ready. Closing my eyes I thought hard about Fai, Replica Aqua, Merlin's path, and Junction as hard as I could, raising my weapon as I did. To my amazement and delight, when I looked up, I saw that all five of us were sending out a strong beam of light from the tips of our Keyblades. All were converging in the center of the island in front of us, and from out of the Light came a Door. Bounding over to it, Donald and Goofy cheered with glee.

"Alright everyone, no turning back now," I called already heading for the Door. "Let's go get Fai back!"

Tugging it open, I was momentarily blinded before screwing my eyes shut and striding purposefully over the threshold. My body felt like it was being sucked through the opening of a straw. I could feel how faint the traces of the connection were that whisked us along to Junction. But just as I was starting to feel light headed, I stumbled out onto a sturdy brick road.

My jaw dropped. I knew from Faitouru's description of this place, that it was constantly night, but I had no idea that it was going to be so beautiful. Two moons hung in the sky at each edge of the horizon. One was the night moon, the other the day. I had no idea which was which, but both illuminated the small town nestled in the valley between the mountains and winding river. It looked like the connection had dropped me right in the middle of the small downtown area. Brightly colored signs blinked down at me advertising the different assortment of shops. Glancing behind at the Door that Riku was now emerging from, I saw that it was situated in front of a boarded up shop door. That must have been where Merlin set up shop all those years ago.

As soon as the last of us fell through the Door, it closed and slowly began to fade away. Guess we'd have to find a new way back later. Keeping my weapon firmly in my grip, I set off down the main street in the direction of the residential neighborhood. Not only did it not feel right here, but…

"Where are all the people….?" Kairi asked in a small voice, clutching her Keyblade to her chest.

"I don't know," Riku answered warily.

As if in answer, the heavy pattering of feet came up from the darkness. A figure burst from around the side of a building out of a narrow alley, looking desperate to get away from something. Spotting us, the young man shouted, "You have to get away! Something's out there!"

Stepping up as he came to a stop in front of us, I asked seriously, "Who are you? Where's everyone else?"

"TJ…" he answered breathlessly, bracing his hands on his knees as he tried getting his breathing under control. "These…_things_ took their Hearts…!"

It was already happening here. We didn't have much time left if we wanted to find Faitouru before they found the Door. Unfortunately I felt the familiar cold just before Heartless began materializing, not allowing me to question further about if he'd seen the pair we were looking for. Shouting for him to run, I took up a fighting stance and stared down the dozens of Heartless blocking the way forward. We couldn't afford to waste too much precious opportunity I thought frantically, we still needed to find out which way to look for the Door.

"You two will need to be a distraction while we go on ahead!" the King called, pointing to Axel and Kairi. Axel, excitement burning in his eyes, led the charge. Kairi's eyes met mine for a moment. She merely smiled and followed after the fiery red head.

"Be careful!" I called after them, springing after the others as they dashed down the street in the opposite direction.

Axel's cry of "Whatever, Mom!" caught my ear just as I rounded the corner, making me laugh.

Leading the way now, I asked myself where they might be. Honestly I had no clue. Turning once again to the tactic that worked back in Travers Town, I decided to trust whatever small connection my heart had. Soon we found ourselves sprinting into the woods on the outskirts of town. It was pitch black. I could barely see a foot in front of my face. Finally Donald came up with the idea to use his staff and a little bit of fire magic to light the way. When the flames illuminated the clearing we stood in, I found that we were utterly surrounded by Heartless. Donald and Goofy stepped forward this time.

"You fellas go on," Goofy cried, already driving the Heartless away with his shield.

"We'll take care of them!" Donald added, following after his friend.

We left it to them, pushing on towards the edge of the forest closest to the river. I knew where we were going to emerge before we even got there. I'd heard everything there was to know about this place from Fai. It was where he'd spent most of his life dreaming of other worlds to escape to; his special spot under the oak tree.

Again, my imagination didn't do it justice. The soft moonlight reflected off the surface of the calm water, sending shards of twinkling light into the trees, dancing across them. The small clearing around the oak was covered in thick green moss, providing a comfortable place to sit or lie down. And standing just under the cover of the oak's branches, was Faitouru and Replica Aqua. Both had done away with the black coats and now stood in regular clothes. And just behind them, embedded in the tree, was a Door similar to the one that was in the secret cave back on Destiny Islands. That was how they were going to get to Kingdom Hearts!

Spinning on her heel to look over at us, I saw that replica Aqua's movements had become forced. Half of her face was full of shock and worry over our appearance, and the other half hadn't moved a muscle. Like a wind-up toy that was running out of time. It didn't look like she was doing too well. Without warning, the fake Aqua muttered something under her breath and pointed her Keyblade at the Door in the oak. As it flew open, an intense gust of wind rushed out, causing all of us to throw our arms up and plant our feet securely on the ground. Gritting my teeth, I looked up just in time to see replica Aqua motioning Faitouru towards the now open door. Crying out for him to stop, my voice was lost in the cacophony of the wind.

Time slowed. Gazing through my arms held up to block the force against me, I watched as Fai turned to look back forlornly. Even with the blindfold, it was like he knew where I was. I tried moving forward, but felt my heels dig into the ground as I skidded back. He hesitated for a moment, and a single tear escaped from under the fluttering fabric down his cheek, looking almost like a line of silver in the moonlight, and then disappeared inside.

Gripping the handle of my Keyblade, I fixed Replica Aqua with my glare and growled, "You won't win…I won't let you!"

Her 'good eye' filled with regret as she looked warily over at the three of us gathered. But I was done trying to figure her out. I charged. Straining every muscle in my body, I pushed through the wind to her and swung. My combo was easily blocked; even if she was only a broken copy, she was still skilled. Sailing backwards, I caught myself on the trunk of a tree and ran forward again and again. The fight was intense. When one of us would get close to breaking through her defenses to the Door, she would drive us back. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find her weakness; until it hit me.

Dodging a blast of blizzard magic, I called over, "He never told you, did he? That you weren't real? Just gave you the book and a kid and left you to find out on your own! I'm sorry for that, but you can't let Faitouru go through with this!"

I felt terrible for bringing up something that meant so much to her, but it worked. Her step faltered. And in that space of time, Riku and the King were able to use my distraction to drive her away from the entrance. Without a second to lose, I dashed through into the Dark Realm beyond.

It was different than the last time I'd been in here. The portal hadn't been open very long, not allowing much time for a transformation into the nightmare full of Heartless Donald, Goofy, Fai, and I had had to fight through two years before. All that stood in my way now was a Behemoth. Worry for my best friend fueled me, propelling me to a quicker victory than I'd been expecting. After running along for a few more minutes, being held up by dozens of Heartless along the way, I spotted a small ribbon of black lying on the ground. When I drew closer, I realized that it was the blindfold Fai had been wearing. Kneeling, I picked it up wondering worriedly if he was alright. He must be struggling to walk let alone fight past these hoards of enemies.

Gripping the cloth tightly, I stood and sprinted into the void, calling his name as I went. That is until I came to the edge of what looked like a giant black hole. That must be where the Door and Fai are. Shaking my head, I clapped my hands together and cried, springing as far out as I could, "Here goes nothing!"

The Darkness swallowed me in an instant, pulling me further and further in. It definitely wasn't looking good for Fai down here. Every Dark Corridor or power that involved the Darkness had always had a terribly negative, draining effect on him. He must be in so much pain right now. Drifting down, my feet touched solid ground once again.

Cupping my hands around my mouth I bellowed, "Fai, where are you?!"

No answer; nothing but my own echoing voice. But then as I turned, I saw it; just off in the distance, stood the all too familiar Doors to Kingdom Hearts. My legs couldn't move fast enough. I scrambled over the uneven ground towards the beacon. Nearing, I felt my breath catch in my throat. There he stood, gazing up at them, arms hanging limply at his sides. Only five feet from him now, I could see the expression on his face. Pain wracked his body causing it to tremble. Suddenly, his knees gave out. Luckily I was already moving towards him; otherwise I might not have been able to catch him in time. I dove, knees scraping along the hard earth as I stretched out my arms. He collapsed against me eyes closed, pulling in painful, wheezing breaths.

"Fai…Faitouru, stay with me!" I pleaded, shaking his lifeless body.

Head lolling from side to side, his brows drew together, much to my relief. And then his amethyst orbs opened a crack. This would be the first time I'd seen them in months. Drawing open slowly, he focused on my face just above his. I felt our bond rekindling once again. Pressing my forehead against his, I realized just how much I'd missed having that.

"You don't have to do this. We can find another way," I mumbled thickly, my own tears falling down, splashing against his chin.

As the words passed my lips, echoing into the Darkness, I saw his eyes widen in realization. Weakly, he pushed my arms away and struggled into a standing position. I followed him, keeping my arms out in case he fainted again. Turning to face me, I watched as his legs shook with the effort of holding himself up.

"I'm sorry Sora," he began determinedly, swaying as his eyes fluttered. "But there's no other way. This is something I have to do."

There was _always_ another answer! This had to be his fatigue talking. Grabbing his wrist tightly, I shook my head and said, "Don't do this…don't leave when I only just remembered you."

Dim traces of surprise floated up and surfaced in his facial features as he took in what I said. Stepping closer I continued, "We grew up together…and I can't make up for forgetting if you're not around to be mad at me!"

A soft laugh escaped as he mumbled sadly, "You don't know how happy that makes me…"

Placing his free hand over my own, he stepped closer and said, "We finally know everything, so you'll get it when I say that I need to go through with this. I want to. It's the only thing that will save Kingdom Hearts…and you."

Gently, he pried my fingers away and took a step back. I tried halfheartedly catching at him again, pleading weakly, but was quieted by the look in his eyes. Now tears of his own shimmered before falling down his freckled cheeks. Still taking one step at a time back towards the Doors, he turned and faced them. They opened as he neared. A brief light illuminated the pair of us, uplifting my heart before disappearing. Heartless were emerging from the shadows within, dragging themselves toward their chance at freedom. Clenching my hands into fists, I held myself back from running over and hauling him away; because…he was right. I knew him well enough to understand that there was no way he was leaving. He was too stubborn.

"You know, I'm really glad we got to spend so much time together," he called over his shoulder as he stopped on the threshold. "I'm sorry it had to be this way."

"Me too…" I answered, wishing he would turn and look at me one last time. Like he read my mind, we faced each other across the negative space between us, knowing it was the end. He looked scared, but more than that he seemed ready to do what he had to.

"D-don't forget me again, okay…?" he scolded trying to sound angry, but his voice faltered.

"Never," I answered, biting my lip in an attempt to stop myself from completely breaking down.

Suddenly, everything felt cold. Looking back at me, his milky white face shone in the dark as he called softly in farewell, "I love you…"

I could only gape in horror as my best friend turned, closed his eyes, and headed resolutely through the Doors. As soon as he stepped through, parts of his body began glowing, breaking off, and falling away; the further he went, the more fell. It didn't seem to hurt him though. It was almost like he was…going home. Finally the last of him fell away, being carried off by some unknown breeze into the shadow. I watched the pieces until I lost sight of them, and hung my head.

My heart twisted painfully in my chest when I realized that I didn't say anything back to him.

The roar of a large Heartless slammed me back into reality. Rushing forward, I rammed my shoulder into one of the Doors and began closing it. Hopefully I could before the Heartless started pushing through.

"Sora!" Riku cried from behind me, making me start. Skidding to a stop next to the other Door, he glanced around and asked apprehensively, "…where's Faitouru…?"

That's when he caught sight of the track marks running down my face. His mouth fell open as I answered with painful silence. The weight of the Door was even greater now that what happened was really sinking in. But together we were able to manage closing and sealing Kingdom Hearts. We'd put everything "right" once again. Looking up, I kept hoping and watching for Fai to burst out, yelling at me and calling me a moron for trying to lock him in there…but he never came. I sank to the ground in defeat as the Doors began fading away.

"He's gone…" I whispered in disbelief.

Riku came to my side and lifted me to my feet once again. Holding back his own tears, he led the way out, making sure I stayed close. Somehow we'd need to find our way out of this place. It felt like years before Kingdom Hearts took pity on us, and provided a Light Corridor. By then the tears had run out. All I could do was bow my head and follow after Riku. I wasn't too grateful for it though. I'd rather wander in the Darkness trying to look for any sign of the person I cared for then go back.

Silently we emerged from the Dark Realm into Junction. I stopped and peered across the river to the mountains and stars beyond. This was the first time in my life that I'd ever felt anything like this devastation. When Riku and Kairi had been missing, I'd always known deep down that I could find them again, but this…was hopeless. I couldn't see any way of getting him back.

Motioning me along, Riku and I walked a ways into the woods and looped around to where King Mickey knelt next to Replica Aqua. For a moment, I froze looking down at her. This had been the person that made this all happen. Maybe if we hadn't had to chase them down for so long I could have found a way to save him. Strangely enough as soon as they rose up, those harsh thoughts drifted away. As I took in her malfunctioning body lying prone on the ground, I felt sorry for her. She was a doll that was fulfilling something that she felt made her human for a while. I couldn't fault that.

Walking over, I got to my knees, reached down, and took up her twitching hand. The last of her life was winding down. Her one eye – swiveling wildly – found mine. The silent question was asked, her lips spasming open and closed uselessly, 'Did he make it?' For a moment, all I could do was stare down at her blankly. The worry in her eyes mounted as her body continued to jolt. Finally, when I felt right within myself, I nodded. She closed her eye in relief, shuddered, and moved no more.

Standing, the King moved around to next to me and asked, "Is he really…?"

I couldn't find my voice to answer. Silent tears fell, splashing against the doll's cold skin before dripping to the moss below. A noise from the woods behind us caused the King and Riku to spin around at the ready, but it was only the others. I remained still, thoughts unable to solidify to tell me what my heart knew. Riku exchanged our experience in the Dark Realm with them in hushed tones.

"Sora…?" Kairi asked in a whisper, placing a delicate hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay…?"

Closing my eyes, I felt how heavy with loss my body was. All was still while she waited for an answer. But she didn't need one. She knew exactly how I was feeling at that moment. Gripping my shoulder briefly she muttered, "Alright…"

Standing reluctantly, she called over to the others, "Let's give him some space."

The tension in my shoulders seeped away as the sound of their footfall grew faint, leaving me empty. All was quiet; too normal. To me, it felt like all the worlds should be mourning the loss of the boy that saved them, not moving on like nothing had happened. Rising unsteadily to my feet, I left the replica behind as I made my way back to the oak tree by the water. Pressing my hand into its rough bark, I gazed down at the now broken Door.

It was over.

Looking back out at the scenery that Faitouru had watched growing up, I muttered thickly to myself, "If I really am connected to you Kingdom Hearts, then please, listen…"

This was my last chance to say goodbye. Taking in a deep steadying breath, I wiped at my eyes and continued, "Take care of him. Someday I want to find him again and…tell him how much he means to me."

Solemnly, I watched as the silver reflection of the moon shimmered on the surface of the river.

_Do you still hold hope?_

That voice! My heart skipped a beat as I looked around wildly for the source. Could it really be Kingdom Hearts answering me? I thought of its question and felt it there; way down where I thought it was gone. Clutching my chest tightly, I relived the moment again in my mind when he'd disappeared into the Darkness.

"There's always hope," I replied resolutely.

_Then it is not yet over, Keybearer._

_How strong is your bond?_

"What are you saying…?" I asked faintly as the world fell away to be replaced with a vision of my dream. Roxas had showed me all those different memories. And one thing in particular that he'd said stuck out: "_You have a gift, you know. Your heart has the ability to remember even if you can't. This helps more than you think_."

A few people have told me that my heart was special. But I never thought much of it. There are lots of people with strong hearts out there anyways, some more than mine could ever be. But maybe I didn't understand my own potential completely. Could there really be a chance to save him?

_Can you follow the link to his Heart?_

Alright…follow the link. Squeezing my eyes shut tightly, I thought about everything we'd been through together. But that wasn't enough. I focused on what I'd felt when he first let me in to be his friend, when we flew around the clock tower in Neverland, when he'd yell at me, when Roxas kissed him, when I found out he'd been kidnapped, when he told me he loved me…All of that began to grow. I imagined that it looked like a ball of light deep inside, growing the more I realized what my feelings were telling me.

Everything about him that I cared about was cast out into the unknown as I muttered to myself: "Come back…please, don't leave me…Faitouru…come back…"


	42. Born Again, Mysterious Tower

~O~

Power flowed around me in waves. I kept my eyes shut, but even then I could see the multi-colored streams pass by. It was frightening, but thankfully not painful. The feeling was almost like someone passing close to me – not enough to touch – but enough for me to feel a presence. Shivering, I waited, listening to the sounds of wind rushing by.

_Awaken._

Sluggishly I managed to struggle my eyes open and look around at my surroundings. I stood in a vast empty expanse of white with no sign of anyone around. Why was I not where anyone else was? Was I not going to get my heart? Did I have to do something in order to get it? A sudden hunger from deep inside me (the same as before) crawled its way to the surface, dropping me to my knees. For a moment, I no longer felt like myself, I was more animal than anything.

When I'd regained control, I asked the void in a small voice, "Where am I?"

_Locked deep inside the Heart of all Worlds…_

Cautiously, I attempted raising my hands and looking down at my body. No longer was I just some vaporous creature. I had a form. Marveling, I followed the movement of my black arm with my eyes as it passed through the air, leaving behind a faint ribbon of darkness as it went. My wish to not disappear had come true.

_But you are only an Incomplete._

"What does that mean?" I asked worriedly, halting my movements as I scanned the vastness for any sign of who I was talking to.

_You are the remains of a broken connection._

Broken? If I was broken, then shouldn't I be in some sort of pain? Turning, I felt my heart sink in answer. Lying face-down a few feet away was someone very familiar to me, though I'd never met him before in my life.

_Do you see, now?_

Closing my eyes, I nodded. All of what tied the two of us together blossomed in my heart, making it ache. This was my creator. The light that I had seen had been his Heart. Kneeling next to him, I gazed at his pale, lifeless face and asked quietly, "What happened…?"

_He sacrificed his Destiny to save the Worlds, and in doing so, became your Destiny._

**_"…come back…"_**

If he was me, then how was I supposed to become complete? Without him, or his Heart, I would remain what I was and wander this place until I eventually disappeared and became nothing once again. As if reading my mind, the voice called down to me:

_It is in your hands now. The power to create comes from the connection with a certain Heart._

"It's the boy waiting for him, isn't it?"

_Do you hear his call?_

Nodding, I smiled to myself. Thinking about the one waiting…calling for his light…for _me_ to come back made me feel warm all over with happiness.

**_"…please…"_**

_Nothing is without a cost. You will no longer be your own…you will be his._

Looking back down to the red-headed boy, I studied the freckles dusting his nose and smiled once again. We were bonded together already. His light and my darkness…were one and the same. And in a way, I wouldn't be completely gone. A part of me would exist inside him, making him strong. I wasn't scared of disappearing anymore.

**_"…don't leave me…"_**

_Will you answer the call?_

Lying next to the boy, I took up his hand in my own and closed my eyes contently. I could hear the other's voice pleading from far away and focused on it. Soon, I allowed my incomplete heart to open to the connection, and was suddenly flooded with a vast array of emotions. I didn't even have the chance to cry out before the white void around me vanished and I fell.

_Return, Protector…_

~O~

Something far away, connected with my heart. Like a fire, it roared to life, causing my eyes to fly open in shock and awe. I couldn't believe it! Following the feeling, I looked up at the sky. From out of the hundreds of lights coming off of the Worlds, my heart picked out the one that grew steadily closer. But it wasn't an ordinary glow. As it streaked down from the sky towards me, I saw that a thin layer of Light flowed around what looked to be a ball of black undulating Darkness.

As the projectile crashed into the water, the shock wave knocked me back. My skin was scraped raw as I skidded into the woods, but I didn't even seem to feel it. In the next instant, I was pushing myself back up and running to the edge of the water. My jaw dropped as I gazed in awe over at the powerful energy hovering over the surface of the river. It was nearly three times my size, and roiling like it was alive. The water around was bowed and nearly perfectly smooth. Could Fai really be in there?

Intending to swim out to where it sat, I attempted jumping into the river, only to find that it had grown hard enough to stand on. Not wanting to waste anymore time, I sprinted out. What I saw as I neared made my heart clench. Suspended inside was Faitouru, but…something was wrong. As I leant in for a closer look, I saw the glowing pale yellow eyes of the figure snap open.

Was this some kind of joke?!

The Darkness surrounding him fell away, leaving behind faint writhing wisps, and the black creature that he now was. Falling to the ground, tendrils of shadow clinging to his body, I realized that I'd seen hundreds of thousands of Heartless give off the same sort of energy. But none could have prepared me for this.

Holding my breath, I reached towards him and asked tentatively, "Fai…?"

His head snapped up at the sound of my voice, fixating those eyes on me. A surge of power grew around him, tossing his hair from side to side in a self made wind. Anger, confusion, and hunger flowed as magic formed around his hands, creating huge claws. He was a Heartless. With an echoing cry, he swiped them at me. I only just rolled away in time.

Holding my hands up as a sign of peace I called over pleadingly, "Stop, I'm not going to fight you!"

It was like he either couldn't understand, or didn't want to. Using the Darkness, he sent shadowy projectiles at me with lightning speed. Calling out my Keyblade, I knocked them away and continued to try and reason with him. Back and forth we continued like this, until finally he stood swaying on the balls of his feet, trying to make sense of everything. The Darkness fell away as he clutched his head, letting loose a cry that was a mixture of his real voice and the Heartless'. And that's when I saw it. On his chest clearly emblazoned directly over his heart, was a glowing white emblem. From here I couldn't see what it was exactly, but I didn't need to. Right there was the answer I needed; hope.

"Fai, look at yourself, this isn't you!" I called, watching as his eyes flicked down at his body. Was he coming to realize himself? I saw the faint traces of recognition coming back as I slowly stepped forward. Now it was my turn to protect him.

"Do you remember that day on the Islands when I dared you to catch a crab?" I asked keeping my eyes locked on his. "You got so mad at me. You said you'd never speak to me again because it pinched your finger."

I chuckled, thinking about how devastated I'd been when he'd said that. Fat tears had been rolling down his cheeks as he clutched his finger and ran. Looking into the Heartless Fai's face, I could see the inner struggle happening. Continuing quickly I said, "I felt so bad, I went down to the water and made the crab pinch me a couple of times. Then I went and found you hiding and showed you."

He was slowly calming, so I finished, "You took one look at me, hit me upside the head and even back then told me I was an idiot! But right after, you hugged me so tightly and held on until you'd stopped crying."

Taking a chance, I followed the direction my heart was telling me to go, and strode up to him. Stiffening under me as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, I could feel the Dark powers radiating into my body. Confidently, I held him close and sensed the hunger in him swell and then – amazingly – begin to ebb away. The whole time we stood, I thought of all the memories we'd shared, hoping he would remember and come back.

Before I could react, his hands slammed into my chest, and I was flat on my back. Looking up I saw Fai staggering away from me, writhing as the Darkness began falling away. Scrambling to my feet I rushed to his side and watched as the small mark on his chest slowly began shifting. Pulsing with energy, it began sucking in the Darkness, changing from a blinding white to a deep black. And before I could process the transformation, the real Faitouru that I'd been friends with for over three years, gasped and opened his amethyst eyes. Staggering and looking around wildly, they met my own in shock and confusion.

I couldn't feel the bond of the Protector anymore, but it still seemed like a missing piece in my heart was falling back into place.

Without warning, the water beneath us snapped back to its original state. We plunged in. I came up spluttering and laughing, unable to stop myself. He was back! And when his head of strawberry curls sprang from the waves, I tackled him back in out of sheer joy. It was incredible knowing he was here and alright.

"Sora!" he coughed. "What's going on?!"

"I have no idea!" I answered cheerily, still keeping a firm hold on his shoulders.

Gently, his hands began pushing at my chest as he huffed, "Look, I'm glad to see you too, but this isn't the best place for a reunion."

Motioning to the river we were currently submerged in, he managed to detach me from him and shoot an exasperated look over his shoulder. It was like he never left! For a moment, I watched as he swam away from me, smiling like the moron I was. But when the happy haze began to dwindle, I remembered that there were a lot of questions still left to answer. The biggest one being: _what had happened to Faitouru?_

~O~

_I will go to the Doors, _

_And I will give you my Heart._

As I neared the river bank, breathless, a hand extended down under my nose. Glancing up, I couldn't help but offer up a small smile as I caught sight of Goofy grinning happily down at me. The others were behind him all looking like they were staring at a ghost. Dragging me up out of the water onto the mossy ground, I felt like this whole meeting had taken on a surreal quality. All my friends, originating from different worlds, were all in my special place in Junction.

Donald asked, "What happened?!"

"Yeah, we heard this crazy loud boom, and then we were flat on our asses as an earthquake came from this direction." Axel called, motioning out to the river and mountains beyond.

Kairi – nudging the tall red head disapprovingly – added, "We were worried Sora may have gotten into trouble, so we came running."

"Okay," Sora said exasperatedly, clambering out of the river with Riku's help. "I don't _always_ get into trouble!"

The number of skeptically rolled eyes in his direction answered that statement. Ignoring that, the King strode up, took my elbow, and asked seriously, "Golly Fai, are you alright?"

"Yeah actually," I answered, glancing down at my body. Everything seemed where it should be. No limbs missing. I wasn't even tired! But there was this strange stinging on my chest. Rubbing at the spot, I suddenly froze. Under my shirt and the pads of my fingers was something raised on my skin; sort of like a scar, but…

Not wasting any time, I lifted the hem of my shirt and peered at my chest. The normal scars were there, but sitting over where my heart should be, was a strange looking mark. Radiating an undulating power, the black mark in the shape of an intricate key glowed black.

"I thought I saw something there," Sora muttered, peering thoughtfully over at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked worried.

His brilliant blue eyes met mine from across the space between us, feeling like a knife cutting through me. I'd never seen him look so solemn. He proceeded to explain what had happened after I'd fallen away into Kingdom Hearts. Apparently after the others left to give him some time to mourn for me, he'd sent a plea up to the Heart of all Worlds to give me back and had gotten an answer. I fell from the sky causing the ground to shake as I crashed into the river. Sora ran out to me, the water solid enough to keep him on his feet, and that's when he saw what I'd become.

By now my lips were drawn into a thin, worried line; enough to make them white with anxiety. The way he paused, and shifted under my gaze only confirmed my suspicions. It wasn't good. When he did continue, I felt the bottom fall out of me. The thing he described was a…a monster; something not quite Heartless, and not quite human.

"But…you heard my voice." Sora continued reassuringly, stepping close. "You heard me, and you came back. That mark sort of sucked away all the Darkness."

Everything went cold. Panic was slowly seeping in through the cracks that had begun forming in my shell of confidence. How could I be anywhere near my friends without that...thing being in danger of coming out? They were just asking for their hearts to get taken by someone that was supposed to be looking out for them. I wasn't safe.

"Fai…?"

I shook my head, stepping back at the same time. I had to think. There had to be some other explanation for what I had been turned into other than me being a killing machine. I couldn't accept the fact that I would be lusting after hearts from now on. Clutching the mark on my chest, I stopped suddenly. The horror from my newest discovery felt like it had just fried my brain.

"I…I don't have a heartbeat…" I whispered, utterly taken aback. It should have been trying to burst from my chest from all the excitement, but there was nothing.

"What?!" everyone cried in unison, all trying to rush in to see for themselves. But I couldn't let them get near me.

Holding out my hand, I attempted calling out my Keyblade to try and keep them at bay. But there was nothing; no familiar white flash, or weight in my palm. So…where was my Keyblade?! Feeling like I was going to be sick, I let my legs give out, sending me to my knees. Hands fluttered around as voices blurred together asking if I was alright. But there was only one person I wanted to talk to right now; the only opinion that mattered to me. Lifting my chin, I raised tear-filled eyes up and met the gaze of my best friend.

"What am I?" I asked Sora, voice thick with emotions.

Shaking his head back and forth, mouth agape, he stared down at me like a fish out of water; utterly at a loss. Before things could get any more confusing, the King stepped up, hand falling heavily on my shoulder as he said, "Listen fellas, this isn't the time or the place for this kind of talk. We should ask Master Yen Sid about what's happened and figure out where to go from there."

He was right of course. But it didn't stop me from feeling like my world was crashing about my ears in a torrent of unwanted mystery. Nodding, I took in a deep breath to steady myself and rose shakily to my feet. Sora's hand on my elbow stopped me though. Keeping his sad eyes on me, he muttered, "Come with me…"

We passed through the dense trees along the river bank to the next clearing. As we came up on my special spot, I first saw the Door – broken now – and then I spotted my "Mother" lying unmoving a little ways away. It was strange. I didn't expect to feel upset when she was gone. I knew that it was coming, but…she had been there for the majority of my life; watching over me. Didn't that mean she cared at least a little bit? Kneeling next to her, I thought, 'Maybe someday I'll miss you…'

"Goodbye," I whispered, brushing my fingers against her cold hand.

Glancing over my shoulder, I sent Sora a silent 'thank-you' before asking quietly, "Will you help me put her over there?"

Together, we propped her against the old oak tree – the same one I'd spent thousands of afternoons sleeping under. Letting my worries fall away for a moment, I realized how at peace she looked; almost like she was sleeping herself.

"C'mon…" I mumbled, turning to head back to where the others were waiting.

The silence was thick, but not because I was thinking of Sora. I'm not even sure what I was brooding about anymore. But just as I was feeling like I was about to start getting emotional I heard my best friend ask softly, "What happened after she took you?"

That's right. None of them had any clue about what Aqua and I were trying to do until just now. I guess that meant I'd need to fill them in, and try to sort through it with them. Glancing up, I could see the toll it took on him in the back of his eyes, not knowing what had happened or what was going to happen to me. Stopping so I could face him properly I asked in a small voice, "You know I'm sorry for all of that, right?"

He blinked in confusion before answering, "It wasn't your fault. I never thought that ever!"

"Oh c'mon, I would've questioned me too if I were in your shoes." I said skeptically, trying to tell him that it was alright.

For a moment, he seemed to still want to fight that thought, but then his walls broke and the tears started clinging stubbornly to his lashes making him look like a little kid. Balling his hands into fists, he began thickly, "Fai, I was so worried. I just –"

"Sora, Fai! We need help finding a way out of here!" Riku called, sounding only slightly anxious.

Why did it seem like the others were interrupting all the time?! Everything may have changed, but some things sure stayed the same. Now too embarrassed to talk, Sora quickly made his way through the trees to them. Shutting my eyes and biting the inside of my cheek, I forced myself to stop from blowing up at them and trailed after, simmering quietly to myself.

As we came into view, the others waved us over. They all sat in a circle, looking like they'd just broken off a serious discussion. Axel was the first to say, "Well, we're screwed!"

"What the – why I oughta –!" Donald cried, looking as frustrated as I felt as he attempted jumping the red head.

Holding the oversized duck back, Goofy called over, "What Axel's tryin' to get at I guess, is that we can't open up another Door."

"You opened a Door? When?" I asked, utterly confused.

"That's how we got here!" Kairi said, smiling up at me. "Sora thought of using the connection between Merlin's grotto and this place to come save you!"

I was still amazed that they'd figured that out; especially since it was Sora's idea. Catching Riku's eye, I raised a brow in question, to which he answered with a shrug. Kairi continued, "Kingdom Hearts heard our call and opened it."

"Well then, why don't you just open another one?" I asked.

Rolling his eyes, Axel called over, "If it was that easy Shorty, we would have done it by now."

"Nothing happened when we tried just now…" the King answered, adding a warning tone to his voice as his eyes flicked to the red head.

Puffing out his chest, Sora stepped forward importantly, grinned, and called, "I'm here now, so let's try again!"

Rolling my eyes, I watched as they all grouped up and summoned their Keyblades. Glancing back at me Sora questioned worriedly, "Aren't you going to help us?"

Letting my gaze fall, I muttered, "I can't…"

"Aw gawrsh Fai, whaddya mean you can't?" Goofy wondered, coming up at placing his hand on my shoulder consolingly.

"Exactly that," I whispered, holding out a shaking hand to demonstrate the loss. "It's not there anymore."

"What?!" everyone cried unanimously. Sora most of all, looked horrified at the realization. But before things got carried away, the King held up his hand and cut through the chatter, "We cannot discuss this now. We've got to think of a way out."

At the reminder, I drew my lips into a thin line, I nodded. He was right. There were other more pressing matters. According to Aqua, this place was extremely difficult to get out of. The only way she and I were able to get in so easily was by using a Dark Corridor. I stepped back next to Donald and Goofy, giving the others a solemn go-ahead. Sora looked like he wanted to argue more for my sake, but when he saw the look on my face, he promptly closed his mouth.

"Okay everyone, think of home!"

All eyes were closed in concentration. I watched the tips of their weapons for any signs of power, but nothing happened. Lounging back on the moss in defeat, Axel called up lazily, "Told ya so!"

"Shut up!" I spat. "Why are you even here?! And how did you get that Keyblade?!"

Sure the last time I saw him, he'd sacrificed himself for Sora's sake in Betwixt and Between, but before that…he'd tricked my memories and tried killing me!

"Ah, so you're still mad about whatever I did back when I was a Nobodie? How boring…"

"Are you trying to say that you're not responsible?! Cause I have a hard time believing a piece of –"

"Faitouru!" Mickey cut in dangerously. "What's done is done. The important thing to realize is that he's on our side now."

Anger pulsed up from my core, sending my skin into a fit of crawling vibrations. But, I couldn't let him get the best of me. I only had to look at Sora's face to see what Roxas would think if I took out my rage on him.

"Fine…" I muttered, letting my fists drop to my side. "Can't we call Chip and Dale? Have them send a Gummi ship?"

"I'm afraid there's no signal to contact them."

"How did _you_ get here?" Kairi asked, directing the question to me.

"My Mother used her powers over the Darkness to make a Corridor." I answered, having a hard time swallowing past the lump that had newly formed in my throat. Not only was I reminded that the woman that raised me was gone, but also I was somehow tied to the Darkness after passing into Kingdom Hearts. I knew what they would surmise before even they did.

Phrasing the question carefully, Riku asked, "…do you think you could open one for us?"

If anyone other than him had asked, I might have thrown a punch. Out of all those gathered, he was the only one that knew what it was like living with Darkness inside. Clutching the mark on my chest, I felt the blood drain from my face as I answered faintly, "I…I don't know…"

"Do you think you could try to –" the King started.

"No! I won't…!" I cried shakily. I don't even remember when I was that thing. All I had to go off of was Sora's account of my trying to eat his heart. There was no way I would put him in danger like that again.

And almost like he could hear what I was thinking, the spike headed idiot stepped up and explained with a soft smile, "We can take care of ourselves, not that we'd have to anyway. You didn't hurt me then, and you won't hurt any of us now. I trust you."

What a moron. Why did he always have to go around saying stupidly optimistic stuff like that? It was annoying, but…very welcome.

"Alright…but I don't even know how to use that other side of me."

"Just try," Riku said encouragingly over Sora's shoulder. "It can't control you if you won't let it."

I was still wary of changing, but their confidence in me was making me feel more at ease. Not enough to drive away my inner voice screaming for me not to do it though. Taking a few steps back, I motioned for them to stay away. Sora, looking like a lost puppy, ran over and said low enough that only I could hear, "Don't worry, I'm right here. I'll bring you back..."

Biting my lip, I gave him a quick nod of understanding before 'shooing' him over to the others. Once I was standing alone, I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the river just beyond the trees and the wind brushing past my cheek. My mind centered in on the mark over my chest that always seemed to be smoldering with a deep power. The warmth grew the longer I focused. Soon, I wasn't even thinking. I didn't know where I was.

_"Faitouru…! Fai, listen to me! You can do this!"_

Was that Sora? Why did he sound so far away? He was right there, wasn't he? I just needed to open my eyes.

Slowly, I peered out into the woods, everything looked so strange; like seeing through the surface of rippling water. I could make out the others; all standing around me looking worried holding their weapons and Keyblades in their hands. I'd let the Darkness gain too much control. It was just what I was afraid of. Staggering back in horror, I quickly made the plan to run away as fast as I could. But then I heard his voice again.

"Fai, look at me!" he cried, stepping right up. I could feel the intense urge to puncture his chest with my claws and rip out the thing I most craved, but his eyes found mine in the sea of confusion making my body freeze.

"Remember what I told you? I'll bring you back every time, but first you need to open that Dark Corridor."

A sense of relief flooded me, clearing my vision, allowing me to focus even more on him. I didn't know what I was planning on doing. His heart was there for me though. I could feel it radiating. It was almost like a small part of it was channeling into my own chest filling the aching void. Relying on that feeling, I was able to push back the want and raised my hand thinking of where we needed to go. The power tore through the Darkness, making a pathway. I'd done it!

"Let's go!" Mickey called. "It might not hold for very long!"

The others quickly sprang into action, heading straight into the Corridor. Before I could do anything, I felt a hand cover my own. Looking down, I saw Sora dragging me after him. Why wasn't he afraid of me? It would be so easy to take his Heart from him. He wouldn't even know it happened. Does he…does he really trust me that much?

Walking through the Dark Corridor wasn't anything like it used to be. It was like taking a stroll across a meadow it was so normal. No pain or loss of strength. I really wasn't a Protector anymore. Once we were out on the other side, I felt my powers fading. Sora braced me as the last of the transformation happened, leaving me slightly light headed.

"Great job, Faitouru!" Kairi cheered, giving me a small hug. "I knew you could do it."

Smiling weakly, I glanced up at the crooked tower flanked by billowing pale orange clouds. I really had done it. I'd gotten everyone safely to Master Yen Sid's tower. As a wave of happiness and pride rose up, my vision faded into nothingness.


	43. Home, End

~o~

_Their hurting will be mended when you return to end it._

The surge of endorphins from coming back to life must have staved off how truly worn out my body was for a short while. Coming back, two transformations, and all the realizations…it was a wonder I hadn't keeled over from my mind exploding. But once I'd passed out for a couple hours I felt better, and forced myself to sit up and explain all that had happened after my Mother had come for me back on the Islands. Catching Sora's eye, I turned to the powerful old man peering down at me from the other side of his desk.

"Please my boy, if you would…" Yen Sid called over, gesturing obligingly with his slender hand.

"Well…after she took me through the Dark Corridor from the island, I got the book of the Protectors from her." I began, shaking my head at the very memory. "And I did NOT want to read it, trust me, but once she'd explained herself I couldn't argue with her. So I found out all about what it meant to be a Protector, as well as the powers I could unlock and how the bonding worked. There's so much information in there, but…I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

"Understandable," the wizard answered with a short nod.

Clearing my throat as I glanced once more to my friends, I continued, "One part explained what would happen to the order of the Worlds if I didn't…give myself back to Kingdom Hearts. It's…I…I can't really give details, but it's awful. If the Keybearer the Protector is bonded to at that time gets their Heart taken, then the process begins. A part of Kingdom Hearts is broken, and in order to fix it, the Protector needs to find the Door that would take them there so it could be set right. Mother helped me with that, taking me from World to World as quickly as I could manage."

"But…why?" Sora asked from off to the side, sounding utterly confused. "Why would she do that?"

"I asked the same question," I answered darkly. "Ever since I was little she would never look at me. All she ever did was tell me that I wasn't her son and that I wasn't going to ever amount to anything. I get why now, but…it was partly because the previous Protector told her to, and also partly because she resented me after reading what he wrote."

"I see," Yen Sid mused, his piercing eyes never leaving my own. "And what happened after you went through the Doors into Kingdom Hearts?"

"It's…like trying to remember a dream." I could feel everyone hanging on my every word as I started slowly, "After I was gone, there was a lot of light, and then dark. There was a voice, and I went towards it, next thing I knew I was waking up in the river next to Sora."

They all seemed rather disappointed, but before anyone could pester me with more questions that I didn't have answers to, I asked, "Sir…do you know what I am?"

"There are no records of that marking on your chest that I am aware of," he began thoughtfully. "Nor are there any of this sort of occurrence happening at any other point in time."

Even the wisest man had no answers. Hanging my head in despair I heard him call over, "But I can make some observations, if that would bring some comfort. You seem to no longer have a heart, which accounts for your possessing the powers of a Heartless. But you still have the ability to take your human form, which leads me to believe that you are somehow tied to another. That being said, I will venture to conclude that Sora's is the one that claims that honor."

My head snapped up in shock in time to see Sora's jaw drop.

"Sora, my boy, your heart has powers unlike any other. You yourself said that you called out for your friend's return and felt something connect with you." Master Yen Sid continued with a small smirk tilting a corner of his mouth. "It seems that you are now protecting the former Protector."

An intense embarrassed heat was slowly building in my cheeks as I took in the looks on everyone's faces; Kairi's especially. I couldn't be absolutely sure, but once Yen Sid said that, it was like something in her eyes changed. But, like he'd been holding meetings like ours his entire life, the Master quickly transitioned into saying, "I must insist that I now give you an account of the outcome of your friends' Mark of Mastery Exam."

That's right! Riku and Sora had come here just before Mother came to do that trial for Yen Sid. I was expecting a glowing review filled with encouragement and hope for their bright futures as Keyblade Masters. But the first thing out of the old man's mouth was that Sora hadn't come out a Master. Only Riku had managed to gain that title. My face drained of color and feeling as I continued listening to the recount of what had happened to the two in the dream world: went to the seven sleeping worlds to wake them (and in so doing the seven pure sources of Light that were to battle the thirteen of Darkness), Xehanort managed to invade their dreams, planting seeds of doubt and shadow in Sora's heart, enough that he could attempt to possess him and make him into a warrior for Darkness. Thankfully Riku had managed to dive back in to Sora's heart to save him, but…what did that mean now? I didn't even want to begin thinking about it. It was all too much information.

Waiting for the others to be engaged in conversation, I slowly got onto my shaky legs and made an unnoticed escape. Going down the winding stairs felt like it took an eternity as my thoughts ran in circles. Most glaringly apparent was the memory of the last thing I said to Sora as I stepped through the Doors. I'd told him I loved him because I never thought I'd see him again. Maybe that was stupid of me, but…how would I know that that same idiot would bring me right back?!

Clenching my hand into a fist around the necklace Roxas had given me, I burst out onto the small lawn in front of the tower. The light breeze felt good on my skin, calming me. Standing on the furthest edge, looking out at the never ending expanse of pastel clouds I let myself go blank, allowing everything to go. The thing that interrupted my meditative calm a few minutes later, was hearing the heavy wooden door to the tower open behind me. Tensing, I waited until the sound of the person's footfall had stopped next to me before looking over. But it wasn't who I'd been expecting.

"Are you feeling alright?" Kairi asked softly, genuinely concerned.

I nodded curtly, setting my lips into a thin line as I tried to avoid her eyes. What do I say? Even breathing made me feel guilty around her. I had fallen in love with a boy that had grown to be my closest friend over years of fighting side by side…the boy she'd been waiting for. There was no way I was going to be _that_ guy that busted in and ruined her life. And I could tell – Kairi was smart – that she knew how I felt.

I really wanted nothing more than to disappear right now.

"Faitouru…?"

I jumped at the sound of her gentle, questioning voice. But I couldn't look up. She was hurting, I could feel it radiating off of her, and it was because of my stupid feelings.

"Kairi, listen, I'm so –" I began, wondering what sort of apology I could even begin to offer for something like this. But then I felt her small cool hands slip around my own. I was struck dumb as I finally glanced up, and watched her take in a deep steadying breath.

"I'm not saying it's something I'm alright with," she said softly, a small bitter smile turning up the corners of her lips. "Of course I wish it had been me after all this time, but…he found you. And you love him as much as he deserves. So please, make him happy…the way I always wanted to."

And with that she gave my hands a light squeeze, turned gracefully, and started making her way back towards the tower. It was then that I noticed the others were just spilling out of the doors to where we stood. Sora, when Kairi slipped past into the tower, shot me a questioning look that I didn't have the power to answer. Before I could let my mind take in what had just happened, everyone called over for me to join them. Keeping my eyes low, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and obliged.

"Golly, Fai, I sure am glad you're alright!" Mickey said, wrapping his arms around my midriff in a tight embrace.

"Thanks, Your Majesty…"I mumbled, patting him awkwardly.

"This is goodbye for now," he smiled, going to Sora. "Donald and Goofy and I are off to patrol the worlds!"

"What's everyone else doing?" Sora asked, glancing around at all those gathered.

"Lea and Kairi shall stay here and continue their training," Master Yen Sid answered. "While Riku shall take up the task of searching for our missing Master Aqua…"

"Then I guess I need to keep training too." Sora chimed in, nothing but smiles. "Fai and I will try our best to keep the worlds safe until we hear anything else from you."

Was I having a panic attack? As Sora tugged Riku in for a quick hug, it was like my lungs had frozen up due to shock. There were still so many unanswered questions. Not only that, but should I even go with Sora?! I could hurt him if I couldn't get a hold of my…other half, and there was still the fact that I'd confessed my feelings to him. The rapid fire distress signals going off were blinding my senses. I barely even registered the farewells from the others as an arm dropped across my shoulders and led me away. The familiar walls of the Gummi ship I'd first traveled in with Sora and the others surrounded me before I knew what had happened. Memories of our first year together came flooding back as I numbly turned in a circle.

Laughing at my reaction, Sora hopped behind the wheel and called, "Thought you'd like this!"

Unable to speak, I merely folded my arms unsurely over my chest and gazed at the floor near him. I could feel the tension between us, but either he was too dumb to notice, or…he didn't want to talk about it either. Shifting in the seat, he called over, "Listen, why don't you get some rest. I've got someplace we need to go. Promise I won't kill us or anything…"

I wanted to ask him about our destination. I wanted to talk about the Mark of Mastery. I wanted to cry about everything I'd lost today. I wanted to yell at him. I wanted…to hold him. But instead, I stuffed all that back as far as I could and nodded deftly, slipped into the back room that he and I had shared for so long during our first batch of adventuring. Curling up on the bottom bunk, I closed my eyes, and let everything shut down.

~o~

Scratching at a spot on my arm, I muttered irritably, "No way…"

"Oh c'mon, lighten up." He shot back, pouting as he once again refused to let me by to the controls. "It's just until we get to where I think you want to go! A surprise is not going to kill you!"

I didn't know about that. Right now – the way my chest felt – a surprise just might do me in; especially one that involved being led around by Sora blindfolded. I shook my head vehemently in disagreement, my dull fingernails now digging into the skin on my arm. His shoulders slumped forward in disappointment as he groaned.

"Can you at least close your eyes? I'll transport us as close to where I want us to be." he whined, scuffing his toe against the ship's metal floor like a little kid that didn't get his way. "Give me that bit of satisfaction at least!"

With the burn of an angry blush on my cheeks, I reluctantly shut my eyes and grunted. A grin immediately lit up on his face as he raced over to the controls. Fidgeting with them for a moment before coming back and being whisked away at my side down to wherever it is the Idiot was taking me. Once I opened my eyes, I flinched from the initial sting of the sun's rays piercing my retina. Everything was hazy at first, but after a moment, I could make out the sight of a familiar alley cradled in the golden streets of the place I secretly called home. I stopped. Right in front of me was the entrance to the Usual Spot in Twilight Town. Mouth hanging open, I shot a look back at a pleased looking Sora and asked faintly, "I-is this…?"

He seemed to understand what I was trying to ask even if I couldn't finish. Was this the Twilight Town with the people that knew me or…didn't? His answer was a jerk of the head, as if he was saying 'why don't you find out?' Without wasting any time, I pushed aside the covering and stepped into the familiarly cluttered room. Sitting looking over at me was Hayner, Pence, and Olette. For a moment, silence fell between us as we took in each others presences.

"You're back!" they cried in unison as they sprang to their feet and threw their arms around me.

"We were so worried!" Olette said, wiping at glistening eyes.

"Yeah, you were acting so weird, and those guys you were with–" Pence began, only to be interrupted by Hayner exclaiming angrily, "Who was that punk anyways?!"

With an apologetic smile on my face, I began that weird mixture of laughing and crying that happens sometimes when too many emotions are flooding in, as I realized that these were my friends; the ones from that summer. It was so good to see them again. An explanation about Sora was on the tip of my tongue, when the cloth over the entrance was pushed aside and in came said brunette. I could feel the others tense as a disapproving aura filled the air. But the idiot, as oblivious as always, merely smiled embarrassed and called, "Sorry about before!"

Pence and Olette gave him distrusting looks while Hayner stepped between him and me and scoffed, "So who are you exactly? What do you want?"

At first, Sora didn't say anything. His blue eyes filled with this strange sadness as he glanced over at me and began softly, "You probably won't believe me, but…I'm…Roxas."

My jaw hit the floor, as well as everyone else's. Waving his arms, he began frantically explaining, "B-but now I'm not, b-but I am sort of! And…oh crap. That came out way wrong."

Scratching at the back of his neck as he avoided my gaze, his brows drew together in concentration. Neither Pence, nor Hayner looked too impressed by Sora's lame explanation. It felt like I'd completely checked out. But Olette took a cautious step towards him, keeping her eyes fixed determinedly on him as she asked slowly, "If it really is you…then what did you and I talk about in Faitouru's kitchen on his birthday?"

Numbly, I watched as a bright blush reddened his cheeks. Looking to me before meeting her gaze again, he answered seriously, "I told you how I really felt about him. And you told me I should tell him."

As soon as the words left his lips, her eyes filled with tears of happiness. Rushing up and throwing her arms around his shoulders she whispered thickly, "It is you!"

"Now hold on!" Hayner burst, chest puffing out angrily. "He could have heard that from Fai when he was getting better."

"Yeah, but look at him. Roxas is right here! It's in his eyes." Olette shot back, rubbing at the tears streaming down her cheeks. Grabbing him roughly by the collar, she steered a stunned Sora right up to the fiery blonde.

For a moment Hayner glared down his nose at the brunette, but as the dust shifted in the light above his head, I could see his expression soften. He was reduced to tears within a few seconds. Rubbing furiously at his nose and eyes with the back of his hand he admonished that he recognized Roxas too. Pence came around after circling Sora a few times. Soon all five of us were sitting in our usual places looking around in stunned silence.

"So…what are we supposed to call you?" Pence asked slowly, looking honestly worried about his question. "Roxas or Sora?"

Rubbing at the back of his head sheepishly, Sora replied, "I'm used to Sora…"

"That's going to be weird getting used to." Hayner said, wrinkling his nose slightly at the thought.

Shooting him a scathing look, Olette leant forward and patted Sora's shoulder saying, "We're just glad you're both home safe and sound."

Sora grinned happily and tried to catch my eye, but there was no way I could. I was still reeling from what he'd just said. Now all of a sudden he was claiming to be Roxas? Had he been planning to do that the whole time? What made him think he could do that? Especially to me. I changed that summer. I'd grown…with Roxas.

I felt a sharp tugging at my arm, interrupting my thought process. Getting to his feet, Sora continued holding onto me lightly as he exclaimed, "Your parents! We should see them, and let them know you're okay!"

My stomach clenched at the thought of my Mom and Dad worrying. I'd promised them that I'd never do something like that to them ever again, and it ended up happening. What would I say to them? Rising slowly, I nodded determinedly to Sora and the others. Without warning, the spike headed idiot took off at a dead sprint, calling over his shoulder, "Race you there!"

"Wha-?!" I started, my mouth falling open.

Hayner and Pence both let out battle cries as they took off after him, while Olette motioned for me to hurry up and follow. Shaking my head, I started off into the streets, wondering just what was going on.

We stood panting at the base of the stoup to my house a few minutes later. I felt myself hesitating to walk up to the front door and knock. My excitement crumbled as I realized that this version of me has never actually met my…parents. The 'me' that Namine was trying to put back together had been here, and I could remember those memories. Should I go in? Would I still be the son they loved?

A heavy hand on my back made me look up at Sora who said softly, "It's okay…"

Leaden legs carried me up the stairs while the others hung back. Feeling more than awkward and unsure, I reached out tentatively and rang the door bell. After a short pause, I could make out the sound of heavy footsteps drawing closer, making my heart race. As the door swung in, my Dad stepped out bleary eyed into the light, looking considerably scruffier than I remembered.

"Who's–" he began, rubbing tiredly at his overgrown stubble. But once his eyes fell on me he went mute. At first I thought he might start yelling, and then I saw the tears welling up in his eyes. His arms shot out, wrapping around my shoulders. In the next instant, he sank to the ground holding me tightly against his trembling frame and sobbed over and over again, "My boy, my boy…!"

Surprising myself, I instinctually buried my face in his chest and cried, "I'm sorry Dad!"

"Keisuke…? Who's there? What are you–?"

Searching for the owner of that familiar voice through tears and a narrow dim lit hallway, I lifted my head up enough to catch sight of my Mom coming around the corner. Her eyes were wide with disbelief as she took in who her husband was clinging to. Tears abruptly began leaving thick track marks down her worn cheeks as she let out a small noise and rushed towards us.

"Oh, my sweet baby you're alright!" she cried, catching me up in her arms. "I knew you'd find your way back to us!"

Holding her closely, I mumbled, "I love you both so much."

And I meant it; with every fiber of my being. I may have grown up in Junction after being stolen away from Destiny Islands, but this was where I belonged. This was my family.

~O~

When we'd all managed to pull ourselves together, Mom glanced over at the others waiting anxiously outside. Her large brown eyes immediately zeroed in on Sora. I knew what questions she was about to ask, so I cut in and began ushering everyone inside. I'd divulge some sort of half-truth to everyone once I got them all sitting down.

"What happened to you?" Dad asked straight off as soon as everyone was in the living room.

I knew that they thought I went off to the doctor when I was supposed to and just never came back when I was supposed to. But, I had no idea what to say after that. My mind was tumbling in circles when Sora chimed in smoothly, "After Fai didn't come back, I went after him. By the time I found him at the doctor's, he'd already lost all of his memories. I was upset, and I lashed out, trying to get him out of there. But that only made it worse. I kind of had a melt down and got checked in myself. Eventually, we both managed to get out of there."

It was so simple. I thought about all the worlds we'd been to and all the crazy stuff we'd seen. Compared to that, this story was almost like it could fit into a normal person's life. Sora really could be smart when he wanted. The others were looking at us without any hint of mistrust.

"Are you tired, honey?" Mom asked, startling me.

"Uh, I guess…"

She smiled warmly and headed over to the hall closet where she kept the extra blankets and pillows. Once bedding had been set up, Mom and Dad took me aside. Gazing into my eyes, they looked changed from when I'd first seen them earlier. Like a light had been lit inside them again.

"Sleep well kiddo…" Dad muttered, ruffling my hair. I'd always hated when he did that, but in that moment I realized just how much I'd been missing it. Mom couldn't even say anything she was so happy. Instead she took up my face between her hands as she steered my forehead in for a kiss. Nothing was more wonderful than this.

When they'd disappeared upstairs, I slipped back into the living room where the others were and got under the covers. Tears began to fall as I listened to the sound of their slowing breaths. I was so happy. Even after all the crap that'd happened over the year, I still had my family. But there was still the matter of Sora. Did he really remember _all_ of Roxas' memories like he said? And if that was the case, then what did that mean for us?

Sleep would not come. I spent the night watching a sliver of light on the ceiling from the slightly ajar curtains over the window change from deep reds and purples into lighter pinks, oranges, and yellows. Only when I heard the light footsteps of my Mom on the staircase did I break away from my trance. Her sleep tousled head poked into the room. Gazing around, her eyes met mine and we merely looked at each other. I think she was trying to gauge what I was feeling and the reason for it keeping me up.

Finally she asked in a whisper, "Want some breakfast?"

Her pancakes were the best, and were her secret weapon to make things right again. I remember once having them early in the morning like this when I was little. That night had been filled with fever fueled nightmares, and I'd tossed and turned until waking Mom, tears still fresh on my cheeks. It was the best remedy. As I stood however, I faltered, recalling another memory, one that I'd actually lived through in Junction. When I was the same age, Mother threw a vase at me, cutting my ear as it smashed against the wall next to me. She'd screamed herself hoarse that time. I let my head droop as a mixture of conflicting emotions battled against each other.

"My Faitouru…always with such a weight on your shoulders," Mom whispered sadly, her soft hand stroking my cheek as I came to a stop next to her in the kitchen. Her head tilted slightly when I didn't say anything back, the way a mother's does when she's trying to look into her child's eyes. I felt my heart clench painfully. When I'd drawn up the courage to meet her gaze I saw that she almost seemed to be glowing in the pure golden light filtering past the thin curtains. And as a comforting smile turned up the corners of her mouth, her otherwise plain face transformed into a dimpled center of beauty. Taking up her hands, I allowed myself to give into weakness and let my head fall onto her shoulder.

Patting me she asked, "What had you up all night?"

"A lot of stuff…" I chuckled bitterly.

"Start somewhere, sweetie…I'm here for you."

I bit my lip, wondering what I'd spill first.

"I'm sorry for leaving."

_That broken promise would haunt me forever. _

She gently began stroking my hair and encouraging silently, "It's okay, go on."

"I don't know who I am anymore."

_There was the Faitouru from Destiny Islands, from Junction, from traveling all over the worlds, from here, and now…from the Darkness._

"I don't know who my best friend is anymore."

_Sora? Roxas?_

"And there's still so much that needs to be done, but…I already feel like a puzzle that's lost too many pieces. How am I supposed to fix everything?" I mumbled thickly, wiping angrily at my watering eyes. "Mom…I don't want the responsibility anymore…"

My whole body was shaking with the force of my tears. It was like I'd opened the floodgates to my broken soul and finally acknowledged what was there under all the hurt and pain and Darkness that had been pelted at it for so long. But…in a way I guess I'd asked for this life. Back in Junction I'd wished every day for an escape…for an adventure. Now that I had it, I wished I'd been ordinary and blissfully miserable with normalcy.

"Look at me," Mom whispered, urging softly. Sniffing, I obeyed.

"You came back to me, like I knew you would. Never feel guilty about something like that, because you are who you have always been; a strong, brave, loyal young man that always finds the light in even the darkest places."

I was taken aback. How could she not blame me for abandoning her and Dad? What would make her think I could be any of those things? I was stubborn and a pessimist and generally unlikable.

"You are," she pressed, noticing my doubtful look. "If you don't believe me, then look at your friends. They love you with all the power in their hearts, for just as you are; no matter what. In your life you've had to go through something no one should, but despite all that, you came out strong.

"So yes, you are my tough little boy. Maybe not in the most conventional way, but there are those that look to you, and you are there. You are brave because life threw such an unfair fate in your lap, and you took it in stride. You are loyal because no matter how bad it gets, you keep your promises to those you care about. Please, sweet heart, don't doubt yourself, because you are my hope."

"Mom…" I muttered thickly, throwing my arms around her in a tight embrace. She may be talking about something completely different than what I meant, but it was still nice to hear the words anyway. "I love you so much."

"I love you too baby."

After a few moments of quiet crying, we turned our sights on starting with breakfast for everyone. As she cracked eggs into a bowl she said, "Roxas does seem quite different…"

You have no idea, I thought to myself. She paused before continuing, "Things aren't the same between you as they used to be."

Turning slightly pink, I realized that she never got to hear about the relationship he and I had been in. Sheepishly I explained what we'd confessed to each other shortly before I went off the deep end. At that she waved her hands dismissively and said, "No I know about that! I mean, what happened while you were away?"

She knew? Taken off guard, it took me a moment before I was able to stutter out, "A-After I forgot he…moved on. Both of us became someone the other didn't recognize in the end. When I snapped out of it, I was too late."

Glancing at Mom's crestfallen face, I offered up a sad smile and said, "She's a really wonderful girl. The way they are together…I'm happy for him."

I've lost the Roxas from that summer for good.

Nodding in understanding, she took up my hand in a silent gesture of comfort. She still knew that too many words would only make me feel worse. Leaving the conversation behind us, we continued about making breakfast. When the pancakes were just being finished, I found myself feeling a little lighter than before. I gave Mom a swift kiss on the cheek in gratitude.

As she moved to go in and wake everyone she paused and offered, "Don't think it's for forever…if you and Roxas truly care about each other, then you'll find a way back. Maybe not as the same as you were, but…"

It was nice of her to say, but her words fell on my heart coldly.

Soon, the small kitchen was filled with sleep tousled heads and bleary eyes. To me, the rest of the morning was spent in a dream-like state. The talk was normal. The smiles were effortless. The nostalgia was filling every part of my soul. But…it wasn't like before. It could never be that way ever again. And Sora – even if he was Roxas in a sense – could never fit into my vision. All I could think of was how Sora and even I didn't really belong here anymore. Neither of us were the same. Those parts of us were dead. And it was cruel thinking we could try and claw at the memory that was that perfect summer.

We had responsibilities. I know Sora could tell what I was thinking, because he kept glancing in my direction and taking in my brooding look. He wouldn't say anything though, not when he knew this meant so much to me. I wish he would. The guilt was eating me alive.

Later, as Hayner, Pence, Olette, Sora, and I were readying to head out into the streets, Mom pulled me aside along with Dad and hugged me fiercely. Into my shoulder she mumbled, "Make sure you come visit."

Dad placed his hand gently on my shoulder and added, "Be careful, kiddo. We know you got to go do what you have to, just…look after yourself."

"Thank you. I'll try." I nodded solemnly. Wiping at her eyes, Mom stepped back and planted a wet, trembling kiss against my cheek and offered up a wobbly smile. It was incredibly hard to leave them. I didn't get as much time with them as I would have liked, but any longer and I wouldn't want to leave.

All five of us waved over our shoulders casually as we headed in the direction of the Usual Spot, and my parents waved back, nothing but happiness on their faces. Hanging my head, I ignored Sora's attempts at catching my eye and instead focused on all the things Mom had talked about. There was a lot to sort through.

~o~

The end of the day was drawing near, and no matter how much I wished I could put it off, I knew Sora and I needed to be going. And I said as much, to which Pence replied with a plea for one sea salt ice cream on top of the clock tower. Grinning, Sora agreed.

"It sucks we still have to go to school," Hayner pouted as we all sat with our legs dangling over the edge. "Hey, you think we could go with you this time?"

"Yeah! I'm sure we could help!" Pence added eagerly, some of his ice cream dribbling onto his lap.

I smiled sadly as I took in their heartfelt expressions. Thankfully Sora answered, shooting me a quick glance. "We wish you could too, but I think this is something we have to do alone."

"You're right," Olette admonished, letting out a disappointed sigh. "I just wish we could give you the answers about your sickness so you could be home with us again."

The silence lasted until everyone sat with naked popsicle sticks, starring out at the pastel colored sky. Finally Hayner stood and said, "We'll be seeing you soon, then."

"Definitely," Sora replied, getting to his own feet and offering a hand to Pence.

I reached down and took up Olette's hand. Her eyes were starting to glimmer with unshed tears as she stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around my neck. Speaking softly so no one else could hear, she whispered, "Find the answers you're looking for. I don't like seeing you two this way."

Leaving me speechless, she kissed my cheek in farewell, repeated the same gesture for Sora, and left with the others. I felt heavy. As her words settled in my mind, I came to the solidified conclusion that even though we could come back any time…it would never be the same.

"Are you okay?"

Pulling out of my head, I looked up at Sora watching me closely.

"Aren't you happy we got to see them?" he asked utterly bewildered.

"I don't know." I answered quietly.

His body stiffened as he wondered aloud, "Wh-why not?"

Turning away, I stepped up to the very edge of the clock tower and motioned to the town, "All of this…is in my memories; your memories. But none of it is real."

I could feel an immediate rebuttal coming, so I held up my hand and continued, "Don't get me wrong. I love this place more than I can say. But then I remember what's waiting for us back out in the real worlds, and I realize that this is all a dream."

"So you're saying that none of this mattered to you?" he asked incredulously, visibly hurt. "What I said to you that summer…was all just a…a dream?!"

My heart dropped. I knew we had to talk about that sooner or later.

"Sora–…"

His hands shot out and gripped my shoulders, spinning me so I faced him fully. I winced slightly, but didn't say anything as he started, "That was all real to me! I remember every second. You said you would never forget. As long as you were wearing this–"

He reached up and tugged at the chain around my neck, bringing the pendant identical to his into the light.

"–you would know you were loved."

The space between us shortened as he stepped up close. I could feel his shaking breath on my skin. Closing my eyes, I felt a wide mixture of emotions: happiness, sadness, anger. But the same thoughts kept popping up. This wasn't the person I fell in love with, and this wasn't the person he fell in love with. I didn't know what to think. Was my heart breaking for real?

"I-I know what I said, but…I don't know that side of me anymore. The Faitouru from that summer is gone…and so is Roxas."

Sora's eyes searched my face desperately as my words slowly sunk in. For a moment, I thought he might get angry, but the next thing he said was something I hadn't expected.

"What if it was me telling you that I loved you? Not Roxas, but me, right here and now; to the you, here and now?"

Breathe, I had to remind myself. A wave of joy came over me, making me temporarily lose myself. Panic quickly swept in however. What do I say? Roxas flashed into my head, and the memory of the way he had looked at me. Sora was looking at me like that right now. It hurt because it was so similar. It only served as a reminder that Roxas was gone.

"Because…I don't know if I can tell you that I'm over Roxas." I whispered, feeling my insides tear apart at the honest utterance. "I don't know if the me here and now…can love you back yet."

Instantly, the waves of regret made me want to take it all back. The look on his face was making me feel like I'd just said I hated him. It was too much. I needed space. I started past him to make my way down from the clock tower, but I felt his hand clamp down on my arm surprisingly hard and stopped me in my tracks. Eyes wide, I managed to catch sight of his long, dark eyelashes inches from my face before I felt as if I'd been socked in the gut. Slightly dry lips pressed up against my own; they tasted faintly like sea salt ice cream. It only lasted for a few seconds before the multitude of emotions coursing through my body caused me to stumble back, shaking all over.

Still holding onto my arm and looking deadly serious, he said, "I'm going to do whatever it takes to win you over…even if that means discrediting my other self."

Flashing one of his trademark grins down at my stunned form, he slipped his hand down, entwining our fingers together. Tugging me gently, he took off at a jog with me in tow. What is going on?! When will my life of ups and downs end?! Why did he have to be such a charming idiot?

~O~

a/n: So hopefully someday, they'll come out with KH3. Until then this is the end. Hopefully though, I'll put out some filler chapters and maybe some more stuff with Roxas! Let me know what you think! Cheers!


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